Legacy of the Xel'naga
by Confushi Sushi
Summary: This kind of situation had never been considered before. Reuploaded to fix formatting.
1. The Becoming

Title: Legacy of the Xel'naga: The Becoming

Author: Confushi Sushi

Rating: PG13 (mild violence, some swearing)

Spoilers: 202 ITLOD, 1969, The Tok'ra pt 1 and 2, can't think of any other specific ones

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst

Pairing(s): none

Season: Some time between beginning of 3 and somewhere in 4, might become more specific as story goes on.

Summary: This kind of situation had never been considered before.

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back I swear.

A/N: Ok, this is definitely the deepest piece I've done to date. It's a topic I've been pondering for quite some time, and when it seemed that no one else was ever going to do anything with it, I finally wrote it up. Would LOVE to hear what you think about this piece. PLEASE!!!! Huge thanx and lots of love to Kalliope for the quick and most excellent beta, and jadestar for her comments. Of course, any lingering mistakes are purely my own.

NOTE: This fic has not changed at all from when it was originally posted. I've merely taken the time to reupload the chapters to fix the formatting issues fanfiction had for a few years (yes... years). So the only difference is it should be much easier to read. And one chapter I had to originally upload in two pieces I was able to put into one. Thank you.

Key:

* A change in perspective

-- Break in time

**Symbiote thoughts**

//Host thoughts//

##Dream##

*

"P2C 421 is mostly unremarkable." Daniel began as the rest of SG-1, along with General Hammond, sat at the briefing room table.

"Mostly?" Jack pressed.

"MALP and UAV footage showed nearly endless forests. There were no signs of any habitation, save one thing." The archaeologist pressed a button on the remote in his hand and the UAV footage began to play. As Daniel had stated, trees dominated the screen as far as the eye could see. An object, a very large object, jutted out of the sea of plant life. It was difficult to make out the exact size, but one thing was for sure; it was huge. As the unmanned plane continued its route, the object dominated the camera's view.

It was a gigantic silver pyramid. Green and red glinted on the side of the structure, and even at that distance the pictures that the inlaid gems created were visible. Goa'uld symbiotes.

"Is that what I think it is?" Hammond asked, though there wasn't any possible doubt.

"It does appear to be a representation of a symbiote." Teal'c affirmed.

"Of course, we won't know anything for sure until we go there." Daniel added.

"Are we sure it's safe?"

"Well, sir, there's no sign of any current habitation. I don't think anyone's been there for quite some time." Daniel replied to Hammond's question.

"Doesn't mean it's safe." Jack stated.

"With all due respect, sir, there's no guarantee that any planet we visit will be safe." Sam commented in Daniel's favor.

"Alright, you have a go. You have 2 days to see what you can determine about this pyramid and decide if it's worth continued study." Hammond decided and Daniel was barely able to hold back a big smile.

"Well, you know me, archaeological surveys rank up there with diplomatic missions and mineral surveys. Fun for the whole family." Jack responded, receiving a mildly disapproving glare from the General.

"Dismissed."

*

"This will be the first documented case of any design of the Goa'uld solely featuring a symbiote. There's always a host or other figures accompanying it, if it's even depicted at all." Jack rubbed his head wearily at Daniel's comment. He hadn't shut up about the pyramid since the briefing, which was about 3 hours ago. Now they were on the planet making the 6-mile trek to the object of his obsession.

Jack knew he should have packed some aspirin.

"So, Teal'c, you've never seen anything like this either, have you?" Carter asked.

"I have not, Major Carter. I have never been aware of a Goa'uld pyramid of such dimensions or design." Teal'c responded.

"Yeah, these trees are about how tall?" Daniel pondered.

"50 feet." Jack supplied wearily.

"50 feet and the pyramid looked over 3 times as tall."

Finally, when Jack was sure his head would explode, the forest cleared slightly to reveal the front of the pyramid. A 10-foot wide by 15-foot slab sealed the building. The angle was just right for the sun to be reflected at them, but the light was sufficiently diffused as not to be bothersome.

As they continued closer, writing on the slab became apparent, carved into the metallic surface. Jack craned his neck to look at the height of the pyramid. The green outline of a symbiote with large red eyes rearing back to strike seemed to return his gaze, looking ready to attack at any moment. It was a disturbing image that quickly caused him to avert his eyes.

"Alright, folks. Teal'c and I will secure the immediate area. Carter, you stay with Daniel and see what you can figure out." Jack ordered, retaking control of the situation.

"Yes, sir." Carter responded.

*

Even before Jack or Teal'c had left the immediate vicinity, Daniel was pouring over the large slab. It only took a few moments of looking at the writing to realize something he hadn't expected.

It wasn't Goa'uld.

Well, that wasn't true. Writing in the middle of the door was in Goa'uld, but another language entirely framed it. This alien writing contained no points or straight lines, only loops and gentle curves. He absently wondered if it sounded anything like it looked.

"Something wrong?" Sam asked, obviously having seen the look on his face.

"Some of this isn't Goa'uld. It's nothing I've ever seen before." Daniel admitted.

"Code?" she supplied.

"Could be." But for some reason Daniel thought it was more than that, a completely different language. The General had only given them two days, so he didn't have much time to figure it out.

*

Sam turned as Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c returned some 45 minutes later.

"Find anything?" she asked.

"Nope. Area's clear. What do you two have?" the Colonel replied.

"The Goa'uld will be easy to translate, but I don't even know where to begin on this other writing." Daniel responded.

"Excuse me?"

"Daniel found two different writings on the door." Sam elaborated.

"Well, what does the stuff you CAN read say?"

Sam looked over Daniel's shoulder as he poured over the symbols before him. "It says 'to reach affinity with the gods one must have knowledge of them.' And there's question's below it."

"A test." Teal'c stated.

"Looks like it. So, what's it ask?" O'Neill asked.

"Let's see, the first one asks for the true name of the gods."

"Well that one's simple, the Goa'uld." Sam responded immediately. "How do you answer?"

"There are raised squares below with symbols on them. I guess I just press the right combination for the answer." Sam noted that the archaeologist gave a questioning glance to the Colonel before actually inputting the answer, having had the lecture about 'touching things' many times. But he gave an approving nod and Daniel pressed down the appropriate blocks. There was a click and then the pressed blocks raised back to their normal positions.

"And?" Colonel O'Neill prompted impatiently.

"Well, the next one says 'what is the first race to be touched by the gods?'" Daniel continued.

"Is it just me or are these questions really easy?" he asked.

"Well, sir, had we come here only a few years ago we wouldn't have a clue about the second question. Besides, we did only get 2 days to determine the value of this place, so who are we to complain?" Sam responded.

"Well, anyway, we all agree that the answer is the Unas, right?" Daniel decided to check; though it was another obvious answer. After everyone agreed he typed it in.

"Is there not more?" Teal'c inquired when Daniel didn't state the next question and nothing seemed to be happening.

"No, there's nothing else but the other writing, and if any more questions are in that, then we're not getting in." as he concluded, the door began to rumble faintly. There was the sound of metal grating against metal as the door slid into the ceiling, revealing darkness beyond it. The angle of the sun didn't allow light to penetrate far into the doorway, so only a faint crescent was illuminated.

"Guess that answers that." The Colonel stated, instinctively raising his gun and switching on the mounted light. "Carter?"

Sam didn't need elaboration and quickly checked her instruments. No radiation of any kind was evident. "It's all clear, sir. I'm not picking up anything."

At her assurance he continued inside, Teal'c behind him and Sam lifting her MP-5 to enter before Daniel. At first, the only thing they knew was that the room was huge. Their flashlights couldn't penetrate to find any of the walls. The ceiling also rose above the power of their artificial lights. Daniel pulled out one of the lantern lights that he had brought for just this purpose and switched it on. A large circle around them became visible to show that the room was as Spartan as it was large. On the sidewalls they found 2 doorways close to the front of the pyramid. Around them the smooth walls were adorned with the unknown writing.

*

"So, campers, which way?" Jack asked. He had to wonder if the whole pyramid was as empty as this room.

"If we split up, we can scout this place twice as fast." Daniel supplied.

"And twice as many things can go wrong." He countered.

"I have to agree with Daniel on this one, sir. There's no indication that there's any danger here whatsoever." Carter responded.

Jack didn't like it when he was ganged up on. "Teal'c, don't tell me you're with them." He pleaded.

"In fact, I do agree with Major Carter's and Daniel Jackson's assessment, O'Neill." The jaffa replied.

They were right; there was nothing apparent to worry about. By all accounts this place had been abandoned for a long time. The lack of anything in the room certainly went a way in proving such an assertion.

"Fine," he acquiesced, "Carter and Teal'c you'll check out the left door. Daniel and I'll go the other way. Keep in contact, check-in every half-hour. Got it?"

A round of assents came in reply. As Teal'c and Carter made their way through the doorway, Jack had to resist the urge to tell them to be careful. They already knew that and it wouldn't do to give off an obsessive mother hen air, even if that was what he was deep down.

*

Teal'c followed Major Carter down the relatively narrow corridor. It was barely wide enough to take two people shoulder to shoulder, absurd proportions after the spacious room that had connected to it. The path had bent right immediately, leading them toward the rear of the pyramid. He held a flashlight in one hand along with his staff weapon, but there was nothing to illuminate but smooth walls and the back of his companion.

"I wonder what was, or still is, in here that anyone would think they had to build a construct this large to house it." Major Carter mused.

"Indeed." Teal'c replied, his tone showing that he not only agreed with her thoughts, but also had been thinking the same thing himself. They had already found one huge room with nothing in it, so it seemed quite possible that whatever had been in here might not be anymore. Or it could simply be hidden further into the building. They'd find out either way, that much Teal'c knew.

There wasn't anything else to say; at least that was important, so they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Their cautious pace made the corridor seem never ending. In the silence, the clicking of their boots on the metallic floor reverberated softly.

Slow pace or not, though, the corridor went on a long ways.

*

Six. They were on their sixth left. Six turns and 2 check-ins later and the narrow hallway still showed no sign of stopping, and a right was looking pretty bleak too. Jack enjoyed a good NASCAR race from time to time, but this was just ridiculous.

The fact that he was on foot might have something to do with it.

"This had better be worth it." He groused.

"I don't have any control over what we're going to find, Jack, so would you just be quiet." Daniel sighed, this having not been the first time during their leftuitous turning that Jack had complained or otherwise annoyed the archaeologist. At one point he had imitated the cars that he was reminded of, making shifting noises as they walked down the echoing corridor.

Needless to say it hadn't taken Daniel long to spin around and tell Jack in no uncertain terms to shut up. Jack had truly feared for his life for a moment... not that it had stopped him for long.

Up to eight now. Surely it wouldn't be much longer before they'd run out of turns. Jack definitely noticed how the straights had been getting progressively shorter, though they were still far too long for his liking.

"Colonel O'Neill, this is Carter." Jack heard the message issue from his radio along with moderate static.

Pressing down the button he responded. "Yeah, what is it?" She didn't sound like they were in any danger, for which he gave an inaudible sigh of relief.

"We found a ladder embedded into the wall, sir. The corridor we've been following's hit a dead end." From what he had gathered from the check-ins the corridor he and Daniel were following spiraled in towards the center of the pyramid while the one Carter and Teal'c were following wrapped around that. He guessed that they had reached the front of the pyramid.

"Copy that. Keep your heads up." He responded, feeling a little jealous. They got stairs and all he got were more turns. What, nine or ten now? Damn, he lost count.

"Are we there yet?" Jack whined. If he had to be miserable then Daniel could suffer with him.

"Jaaack!" Daniel pleaded, throwing his arms up in defeat.

"Well Danny, how many turns do they expect us to put up with. A man could go insane." He thought he heard Daniel mumble in agreement, something about it happening already.

But the next turn, instead of continuing on into another androgynous corridor, opened up into a room. They entered before the surprise of actually finding something stopped them in their tracks. Apparently there was some form of automatic lighting, diffused yellow suddenly poured down from the ceiling. The soft light was just able to illuminate the room, a fair size, but still only about half as large as the antechamber they had come across in the beginning. Also unlike that room, the walls were covered in writing. Standing out in the center of the room was a hub; one that looked suspiciously like a huge symbiote head, mouth open and seemingly waiting to pounce on anyone who might stand below it. Red gems reflected the off color lighting, mimicking the eyes of the creature it resembled.

"Wow." Was all that Daniel could say, and Jack had to agree. This was definitely a 'wow'. As Daniel made his way to one of the walls, Jack saw his face drop.

"What is it?"

"All this writing is the other language. I'll have to get rubbings and recordings and bring it back to the SGC to decipher." The archaeologist replied, almost whining.

The less time they actually had to spend here, the better. At least that's how Jack saw it. Even so, he tried hard to keep the joy the statement gave him from showing.

*

Sam continued down the straight corridor that the ladder had brought her and Teal'c to. All of this useless space had her wondering; why didn't they use more of the room in this place than just fill it with corridors and turns? Was there even anything here?

If this was all one giant practical joke, she swore she was going to kill someone.

After an eternity they finally got to the end of the corridor, which turned right. Thankfully, instead of entering another corridor it opened up into a room. A giant one by the looks; even larger than the one that had been on the first floor. At first she thought there was nothing to see, at least without more light, but a faint glow from the other side caught her eye. Squinting, she thought it looked like a rippling rainbow.

"Teal'c, do you see that?"

"I do, Major Carter." He affirmed. Their flashlights illuminated nothing else as they made their way towards the source of the light. It took on shape and form as they stepped closer. Before them stood a large statue, about 20 feet at its highest point. It was a Goa'uld symbiote made out of some sort of iridescent material, the different colors continually rippling slowly across the surface. The symbiote was curled up with its head reared back and mouth opened.

"Holy Hannah." Sam exclaimed as she walked around the statue, the light playing on her face. It was definitely like nothing she had seen before. Teal'c simply stood where he was as she absorbed herself in the statue.

She barely noticed the dazed feeling that washed over her as her hand seemed to reach towards the statue of its own accord. The surface was cool beneath her palm and smooth like polished stone. Sam stood like that for several moments, unable to do anything else.

Excruciating pain washed over her so quickly that, at first she didn't even realize she was screaming.

*

"Major Carter!" Teal'c rushed forward and grabbed her as she collapsed to the floor, body straining in agony. She didn't make any indication that she even heard him or acknowledged his presence, simply screaming as much as air intake would allow.

He didn't know what to do, or even what was happening. His first thought was to get her away from the statue, as it had been that that had apparently started this. Teal'c lifted her up into his arms, but before he could go anywhere she was simply gone. The room became eerily silent. All that remained was her clothing and equipment.

The silence was only broken by a pair of boots, MP-5, and pack clattering against the floor. Her clothes draped across his arms where he had been holding her.

It was almost half a minute before Teal'c was able to get over the shock. "Major Carter?" He tried, not really expecting an answer, but hoping to get some sort of clue as to what had just happened.

There was nothing. The statue continued to glow on as if nothing had occurred, mocking the jaffa who stood looking at the clothing before him in bewilderment.

*

Daniel recorded the writing before him, using one of the lanterns to get a better picture. The walls were completely covered in the writing, he only wished he knew what it said.

"O'Neill!" Though the message was full of static, interference from all of the metal between them, Daniel could hear the agitation in Teal'c's single word. By the look on Jack's face he had heard it too.

"I hear ya, Teal'c." Jack quickly replied.

"Major Carter has vanished."

"What?" Jack immediately asked. Vanished? Daniel could only look on in confusion.

"There is a large glowing statue here. Major Carter touched it and appeared to suffer great pain. She has disappeared, but her clothing and equipment remain." Daniel's eyes opened even wider than they had been before. Disappeared? Vanished? To where? Why?

"Are you sure she's not up there somewhere?" Jack finally managed.

"I have searched the room most thoroughly. There are no signs of passage to hidden compartments nor any other sign of a place where Major Carter may be." Teal'c replied.

Jack thought about the information for a moment. "Ok, come down here, and bring her weapons, we don't want anyone to bite us in the butt with them. Maybe we can find something here. We'll go over the room we found in the meantime."

"I will be there shortly." Teal'c assured.

Daniel watched as Jack suddenly stopped short as he turned around to face the archaeologist. He was even more confused when the man brought up his gun.

"Jack?" he questioned. Jack motioned behind him with his eyes and Daniel turned around in response. A panel from the wall had slid away without either of them noticing. A large figure walked out from the dark recesses causing Daniel to quickly distance himself. The alien only resembled a human in the most basic of form. It stood nearly 7 feet tall, with blood red skin. Thin tendrils fell from its head like hair, lightly brushing its shoulders. Where humans only had 2 arms, this creature had another pair below the first. Two thick straps ran down both shoulders to a sort of kilt that was a deep blue. Its legs were shaped like a dog's more than a human's, with sharp talons emanating from its short feet.

"Izor chu." The creature stated in a deep voice.

"Daniel?" Jack prompted.

"I have no idea. It's probably the same language I can't decipher." The archaeologist shot back.

"Well, try something!"

Daniel didn't even know where to begin. The language had no roots to anything from Earth; this creature was definitely not a descendant of their planet. But he had to try something before this got ugly. "Um, hi. We're peaceful explorers from a planet called Earth. Can you understand us?"

"Goga Jerula, erat nolan tel." Despite having a gun aimed at it, and maybe it didn't recognize it as the weapon it was, the creature stood tall and looked at them fearlessly. Well, it could be perfectly plausible that its species didn't have emotions, or show them in the same way as humans, so he could have been totally wrong with his assessment.

"Jeez, Danny, I coulda done that!" Jack quipped.

"Sorry! I have no idea how to even begin." Daniel stated in frustration.

"Nok tananak!" the alien took a hulking step forward, its claws clicking on the stone floor. They both instinctively took a step backwards and Jack adjusted his weapon.

Daniel suddenly had an idea. "Kree, harak shel!"

He definitely got the creature's attention. It eyed him quizzically. "Torak ma'shel Goa'uld?"

"Daniel?" Jack questioned.

"Um, it just occurred to me that there was Goa'uld writing as well as the other stuff, so I guessed that maybe it could speak that too. Guess I was right." Daniel replied excitedly.

"And what did you two just say?"

"I told it we were peaceful, and it asked if we were Goa'uld." Daniel turned to address the creature. "(We are not.)"

"(How, then, do you know the language of the gods?)"

"(I learned it on our travels.)"

"(You have accompanied the Chosen One?)"

"(What do you mean?)" Jack saw the puzzled look on Daniel's face and returned it, but was ignored. Daniel was more interested in figuring out what this creature was talking about.

"(The Chosen One is here, for I have been awakened. Why are you humans here?)"

"(We found this place while exploring. It looked abandoned so we decided to study this place. I don't know what you mean by chosen one, but our friend has disappeared. Will you help us find her?)"

"(Disappeared? At the altar to the gods?)" It questioned.

"(If that is the statue on the second level, then yes.)"

"(You fools! I am to be the next High Councilor of my people! I have been awaiting here since the 3rd age of the Yessuk to take my place when the Chosen One is prepared!)" Its clouded yellow eyes flared in anger, a menacing growl escaping around its words.

"(We intended no harm. Please, what has happened to our friend?)" Daniel didn't like the sound of this.

"(Your friend is undergoing the transformation. Together with the Chosen One we arise to the power of the gods. Only then would I be fit to rule. I cannot be returned to the chamber after being awakened! You have ruined everything!)" After a pause it continued in a more sedate tone, "(Your friend will have to suffice.)" Gods. Transformation. Daniel still didn't quite understand it. But before he could ask more questions, there was a deep hum of power. Turning to the source, they saw the eyes of the Goa'uld on the hub were glowing red.

The alien began its way to the figure.

"JACK!" Daniel shouted. All he knew was that they had to stop it. In response to Daniel's desperate tone, his soldier-sense screaming, Jack quickly turned around and fired several rounds into the creature. The shots tore into its chest but the creature continued as black blood oozed down from its wounds. He fired again, and the creature slowed, but still progressed towards the hub.

The thwump of a staff weapon blast shot through the air, hitting the alien in the face. It immediately fell to the ground, only a few feet from the hub it had tried to reach. Overwhelmed with the moment, they all stared at the hopefully dead alien before them.

"Teal'c, you made it here fast." Jack commented, keeping his eye on the creature. Even though all the skin on its face had been melted away, he wasn't entirely sure it was dead. Daniel couldn't blame him, especially not after all of the bullets it had taken.

"I endeavored to reach your location with all haste." Teal'c commented, MP-5 sling across one shoulder haphazardly, and Daniel could see that the jaffa was breathing rather heavily. He must have run the whole way there.

*

"So, what was that all about?" Jack asked. He hadn't understood a word Daniel or the creature had said. It had all been Gould to him, literally and figuratively. The thing hadn't been trying to attack them, though in the heat of the moment he didn't have time to register that fact, it looked like it was going to pass them by. He wanted to know what it found so important and why Daniel was so freaked about it.

"I'm not entirely sure. I asked it to help us find Sam, and it got angry when it learned what happened to her. It talked about a Chosen One that would transform and together they'd rule their people with the power of the gods. It had said that she would suffice; I don't know what he meant exactly but it didn't sound good." Jack tried to wrap his head around all that Daniel had told him, but the rushed pace and mangled words made it difficult.

"I believe that this Chosen One of which you speak is transformed into a symbiote." Teal'c finally stated after a few moments.

"What? Why do you say that?" Jack knew there was Gould influence in this place, the hub and the pictures on the outside were proof enough of that, but actually making themselves into snakes? Who would be that stupid? And who would be even stupider to put one in their head?

"The statue that Major Carter and I encountered was of a Goa'uld symbiote. It is most likely that this is what the creature had been referring to."

"It does make sense." Daniel admitted meekly. If Jack thought about it, it did make sense. But he didn't want to think about it. Didn't even want to acknowledge it as a possibility.

"If you're going to tell me that Carter has just been turned into a snake, then save your breath." No way, no how. She was alive. She was HUMAN. Locked in some dark room in here somewhere, but still herself.

He knew instinctively that he was wrong, but it didn't stop him from trying to believe it.

"It is in fact what has been said." Teal'c responded plainly, not allowing Jack to maintain his illusion for very long.

"Jack, we need to do something." Daniel insisted.

"Like what?" What did he want them to do? What could they do?

"Well, the alien was trying to get to the hub over there. Maybe the eyes mean that it's ready." Daniel shrugged.

"Ready for what?" 'Please don't say what I think you're going to.' Jack pleaded silently.

"A host." Teal'c finished for him.

Jack didn't know what to say, and a long silence ensued. This so was not happening.

"I'll do it." Daniel finally said.

"NO!" Jack immediately replied, "Like hell you will!"

He wasn't about to let one of his team get a snake in the neck. What if it wasn't Carter? What if it was a Goa'uld? What if the machine had an entirely different purpose?

"I will remove my prim'ta and offer myself to host Major Carter." Teal'c added.

"No one's going to do a damn thing! We have no idea what that thing does. Maybe that thing lied to us or was lied to itself. I am not going to let either of you do something stupid." He may be outnumbered 2 to 1, but Jack held himself firm, or at least tried to.

"Ok then, Jack, where do you think Sam is?" Daniel asked in annoyance.

"If I knew that then we'd have freed her by now!" he shot back defensively.

"Where else could she be? That alien was pretty intent upon reaching that hub, the evidence can't be ignored. We don't know how long Sam can survive while we sit here arguing. We need to help her." Daniel insisted.

"Daniel." Jack warned tiredly. All of the proof led to that conclusion, and Jack knew he couldn't fight it forever. How much he didn't want it to be true didn't matter, because it was. It didn't mean he liked the situation any better. "I'll do it." If anyone was going to have god knows what happen to them because of that machine, he'd be damned if he let one of his team do it.

"No, Jack. I think it's best if I were to. It might go better at the SGC if you're there to smooth things over. Besides, if anything goes wrong, you two would be best equipped to handle it." 'Yeah, like if it wasn't Sam that got stuck in his head, if that was even the purpose of the machine, he thought wryly. He really didn't relish the thought of having to hurt or even kill his best friend. But, unfortunately, Daniel did have a point. If he or Teal'c got a snake in the head, they would be hard to stop. Stopping Daniel would be difficult too, though, but in a much different way.

"You'd better know what you're doing." Is all Jack said in reply. He couldn't believe he was actually going along with this. It was, by far, the stupidest thing they had ever done. They knew absolutely nothing about that machine. He could be condemning Daniel to something far worse than death. Carter could have been dead from the moment she disappeared. But, the chance that she was alive, and very likely in that device, still existed, and as he always said, 'no one gets left behind'.

As Daniel turned towards the hub, Teal'c pulled out a zat and primed it. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but he knew that, like him, Teal'c would be prepared. Even so, it was almost more than Jack could manage to quell the voice in his head that was shouting what a bad idea this was. It WAS a bad idea, but, then again, so might be doing nothing.

*

Daniel was scared. It may be Sam, or at least that's what they all hoped at this point, but he was still going to get a snake... a symbiote, he corrected, in his head. At this point he didn't doubt that particular part of the device's function, he was just a little worried that he might not get the roommate he had been planning on. An experience he had not yet been through, he had only the testaments of those around him who had been through it. Unfortunately, he could think of very few instances where the turnout had been in any way pleasant.

To top everything off, Sam probably had no idea what was going on. She'd suddenly wake up very much not herself, and he could only imagine what that might lead to. Would she utterly panic? Would he be able to stop her if that was the case? Of course, all this was assuming that he was getting Sam implanted in his head. Absently, he wondered how the machine would do such a thing.

Daniel figured he had probably been standing there for several moments. As much as the possible outcomes of what he was about to do disturbed him, Daniel had to do it. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to Sam because he didn't want to take a chance. Worrying that if he waited any longer Jack might change his mind, he took a deep breath and tried to prepare himself for what was to come.

"Well, here goes nothing." Daniel stated as he continued to the edge of the hub. The Gould head cleared his height by several feet, and Daniel took several moments to stare up into the dark mouth. The figure was just a bit too lifelike for his comfort, the fangs seeming to glisten with saliva, hungering for his approach. The floor was lower beneath the hub, creating a slant that dropped several inches. Jack brought up his weapon as Daniel squeezed his eyes shut and then stepped in.

A bright white light flowing down from the hub was accompanied by the oscillating hum of energy discharging. The beam was warm, relaxing his taught muscles. A tingling sensation danced across his skin as Daniel remained in the beam. Not at all unpleasant, he began to wonder just what was happening when the pleasant warmth became insufferable heat. Though the sensations were brutal, he found that he was unable to move or otherwise make known his discomfort. It lasted over a minute before suddenly turning off. Daniel remained motionless for several moments before collapsing to the floor.

*

"Shit!" Jack immediately cursed as he ran forward. He pulled Daniel out from beneath the menacing fangs, deciding it may not be wise to remain underneath them any longer than necessary. Then he checked for a pulse, shallow and rapid, but there, and breathed a sigh of relief. He was alive, at least. The last part he dreaded the most. He'd soon learn whether or not they had potentially saved Carter or made the biggest mistake of all-time. Reluctantly, Jack ran his hand along the back of Daniel's neck.

The telltale bulge was more than evident.

Though there was still no proof either way, the first thing Jack thought was if there was now a Gould in Daniel, what might happen? Would it wake up and attack? Do the annoying 'I'm a god, so sit a moment while I mock you incessantly' bit that had been old the first time they had encountered it? Or, would it try to trick them? It would have access to Daniel's thoughts, and know what they would be expecting... and hoping.

Damn. Did he already mention what a bad idea this had been?

Teal'c didn't say anything, his own expression revealing that he too was waiting to see what would happen. If he had just let Daniel take a Gould in the head, Jack didn't know what he would do. But they needed him to wake up before they could find anything out.

*

Consciousness pulled at her, taking her from the dark fog that had enveloped her. She tried to fight it. Pain. She remembered pain before, and she didn't want to find out if it was still there.

But the pull was incessant. Sam was assailed by feelings. Sensations flooded over her, some completely indescribable. Things she had never felt before. So much information, too much for her mind to sort out, much less comprehend. It got to the point where the overload caused her physical pain, different, but nearly as intense as what she had felt before.

'Not again.'

She screamed. Her body flailed madly as though she had no control of it, but she hurt too much for any of it to register. A hand came to rest on her shoulder. Sam only noticed this because the warmth distracted her just the minutest amount, seeming to ease the pain slightly.

"Major Carter?" she made out Teal'c's voice calling her, sounding as if he had been doing so for quite a while. The question in his voice seemed to ask more than just her wellbeing, but she couldn't figure out what.

Sam had stopped screaming, but was contorted against the pain that still assailed her. It was easing off incrementally, but far too slowly for her liking. "Hurts." She managed to gasp.

She froze, her eyes snapping open. Did she just hear what she thought she did? Teal'c kneeled above her, she could make out his dark frame. Why couldn't she focus on him? His features were blurred and no matter what she did, he remained that way.

"Teal'c?" the deep resonance in her voice was unmistakable, in no way distinguishable as her own. This only made her more frantic, her ears weren't deceiving her. "What's going on? Why can't I see? What's wrong with me? What's happening?"

She thought she spotted the Colonel several feet away, the gray in his hair allowing her to distinguish it as him. He was looking at her, but she couldn't make out his expression. If she had to guess, though, she'd say it was pensive. Guarded, she clarified. "Colonel? Where's Daniel?" she asked, trying to ignore how WRONG her voice was. Sam tried to sit up, but her coordination was completely missing, on top of Teal'c gently holding her down.

"Please try to calm yourself." Teal'c stated in a gentle tone, his hand rubbing her shoulder almost imperceptibly. She did as he bade, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

//Sam.// Her eyes shot open again. It may have been a thought, but the 'voice' was familiar.

"Daniel?" No. She couldn't believe it.

"Is Daniel Jackson well?" Teal'c asked, concern obvious in his tone.

"What's happened to me?" her question was almost a whisper, but the dual tones were still audible, making her cringe. It couldn't be. It just wasn't possible.

//The statue changed you.// Daniel tried to comfort her, but it didn't matter. What he was saying was too disturbing for anything to soften the blow. He was wrong; he had to be.

"No!" she denied aloud, struggling against Teal'c. At her thrashing and kicking he wrapped his arms around her upper body and held her in a sitting position, pinning her arms to her chest.

"Major Carter, you must refrain from this destructive behavior."

"You're wrong, I'm me! I… I'm not… I'm not, I'm me!" she couldn't say the name. Speaking it, even in denial, would have been too much.

Because it was true.

Tears streamed down her face. Daniel was in there, making it impossible to deny.

//It's ok, Sam.//

"No, it's not! Oh, god." Passing the stages of outright denial Sam could only think of the horror. She was… she still couldn't say it or even think it, but knew that it was true.

Inside Daniel. Using his body. Taking what wasn't hers. Of course he could hear her thoughts, and if she weren't so distraught, she could have done the same. He tried to tell her otherwise, but Sam wouldn't listen. She turned to the Colonel, convinced by some warped reasoning of her mind that she had let him down. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm so sorry."

Her apologies died into uncontrollable sobs, and throughout it all he didn't say a thing, merely shifting uncomfortably and lowering his eyes.

*

Jack didn't know what to say. He was reluctant to offer any support or tip his hand if it really wasn't Carter in there. She couldn't be a snake, she wasn't a snake. Even so, the distressed tone, while being extremely disturbing as it was a parasite inside of Daniel as evidenced by the dual tones, seemed to go right for his gut, threatening to double him over with the force. 'God, if it wasn't Carter', he thought, 'the thing sure could act.'

*

**He hates me.** Her thoughts cut Daniel even though they were directed at someone else.

//Sam, that's not true.// he tried to tell her. It was certainly no secret that Jack was far from open-minded when it came to the whole symbiote thing, but Daniel couldn't see his friend suddenly hating Sam for it. He'd be uncomfortable, surely, but far from anything bordering hate. Sam, however, couldn't, or wouldn't see his reasoning, her current situation screwing with her perspective.

His eyes? Her eyes? He wasn't sure what to call them, and for the moment decided it wasn't an important question. Either way, they were shut as she cried against Teal'c's chest.

"Major Carter, may we speak to Daniel Jackson?" He was glad that Teal'c was taking charge of the situation, since Jack had apparently decided to sit on the sidelines.

She tensed momentarily, and Daniel felt her revulsion at such a question even being necessary, that she had to be asked to talk to him. The revulsion became remorse as she realized she didn't even have the slightest clue of how to go about it. "I don't know how."

//It's ok, just calm down and we'll figure it out.//

"Ok." She replied, and Daniel could make out Teal'c's puzzled expression, slightly out of focus without his glasses. He had forgotten for a moment that they could only hear what she spoke aloud.

//Try stepping back.// He felt her try to pull back, but so many thoughts were racing through her head he doubted that she could concentrate on much of anything.

"It's not working!" Sam cried out in frustration. She needed to settle down before they could do anything constructive.

//Calm down, it's ok. Clear your mind. Just try to focus.// he tried to think tranquil, sedate, thoughts, which basically meant that he wasn't thinking.

Daniel could feel everything. He felt Sam's guilt fuel her to abandon the thoughts she had been having. He felt her mind blank, like him, attaining calm only by stopping all thought. Then he felt her fall. There was no other way to describe it. Sam collapsed into a tiny vessel neither had been aware of previously, a completely foreign body that held no relation to the form she once had.

He was about to speak, but he felt her panic. She was trapped, or that's what her mind supplied for her. His flesh surrounded her, pressing her firmly against his spine. Neither of them had been prepared for this, though someone should have thought of it. Going from control of a body that was not unlike what she was used to, to all of a sudden being confined in a very small, and very alien, one, couldn't possibly be an easy experience for someone who had never done it before. Instinctively Sam began to struggle against the prison that held her. God, it hurt. Daniel gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut. Sam was too distraught to feel his pain, but he could feel what she was also doing to herself. The writhing pulled at tendrils that had been threaded into his brain, something he tried not to think too hard about.

"Daniel?" Jack finally managed to speak, his words laced with urgency. Aside from asking the obvious question of him being all right, there was a tone in his voice that held alternative meanings. Daniel realized immediately; Jack wasn't sure it was him. His behavior was making more sense now, there was still doubt in his mind as to whether or not it was Sam, or something else, in him. It seemed implausible, how could anyone think this kind of reaction could be faked?

"It's ok, calm down. You're alright, Sam." Daniel spoke aloud as he tried to sooth Sam. He brought a hand up to his neck, Teal'c having loosened his grip, and gently rubbed the nape, partly to ease the pain, and partly to remind Sam that he was still there, even though she could still hear him and he her. He could feel her wriggling beneath his hand, the flutter just a bit disconcerting.

Slowly she stopped as realization dawned on her, the pain and potential harm she had caused him freezing all movement. **I'm sorry, Daniel.**

//It's ok. You weren't ready for it; I wasn't ready for it. Nothing to apologize about.//

He turned to Jack, Daniel's face loosing the soft expression he had taken while talking with Sam, instead lending itself more towards a hopeful appearance. "It's me, Jack. It's us." he tried, hoping that the assurance would be enough. The words caused Jack to stiffen up noticeably. He wasn't going to be so easily convinced, and Daniel didn't have a clue what he could do to prove it to him.

"Daniel Jackson, is all well?" Teal'c interrupted, no doubt reading into his intentions.

"All things considered, we're ok." He glanced at Jack, trying to get him to understand. Jack turned his head away.

**Daniel.** Sam pleaded, and something in her thoughts told him that she didn't really want Jack to know. Didn't want to be put under the label that he so despised.

//He should know that it's us.// He insisted silently.

**Just leave it, ok?** He agreed; only because that was what she wanted. It would have to wait anyway, since he didn't seem to be biting.

"What is our course of action, O'Neill?" Teal'c prompted. Daniel watched as it took a few moments for Jack to gather himself together.

"You two able to walk?" he asked Daniel, his voice deadpan, very guarded.

"I think we can manage." Daniel shot back in an equally even tone. He could understand the man's reluctance, to a degree, but even so, it was starting to wear on him. Couldn't he see that there was no possible way that a Gould could pull off such a deception; they'd have been in too much control from the beginning, and it would have taken precious time to search his mind and find out how it was expected to act.

"Alright," Jack checked his watch, "it's going to get dark soon if it hasn't already, so we'll camp outside and return to the SGC in the morning."

Jack made his way out of the room, leaving Teal'c to help Daniel and Sam.

"I can't believe him!" Daniel commented as Teal'c helped him stand up, though thankfully he noticed he didn't need it.

"He is most disturbed by the situation."

"But, it IS us! You believe me, right, Teal'c?" He felt her uneasiness at the question. She thought about the event that had put her in their current situation and Daniel watched with her as the flowing light of the statue seemed to fog over her mind.

//You couldn't help yourself, and you couldn't have known anything would happen, much less this.//

**It's offworld, Daniel. Things always do SOMETHING.** her response held no humor, just a statement of fact.

"I do, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c replied, oblivious to their inner discussion. "I believe that I may now return these to you." Teal'c held out his glasses and Daniel took them and put them on. Everything was back in focus and for that he was grateful. Fuzzy images quickly lost their appeal.

Before they could make it to the door, Daniel's eyes fell on the dead alien. His mind immediately flashed to the memory of it rushing towards the hub, an event that held even more desperation than before, because now he knew exactly what was going to happen. As he thought about it, Sam agreed that she didn't want to know what waking up in a completely alien body like that would have been like. As if it wasn't weird enough already.

**You should have left me here, found another way.**

//Sam, we have no idea exactly how this device works. For all we knew, you could have been killed at any time if you stayed wherever you were. And don't you dare think like that, I much prefer this arrangement to you being dead.//

He meant what he told her, and she knew.

*

He did believe that it was, indeed, Daniel Jackson and Major Carter who now stood before him. Of that Teal'c had no doubt. Even as O'Neill had pulled the man from under the device he had a sure feeling, Major Carter's reaction upon waking only served to solidify the feeling into knowledge. It was unfortunate that Colonel O'Neill would not see what was so blatantly obvious to him. At every implantation he had been a witness to the Goa'uld had control of the host almost instantly, there had never been any confusion, on the creatures part, only calm and collected dominance. If a Goa'uld had been placed inside of Daniel Jackson, then Teal'c had no doubt in it's mind there would have been the same control in the beginning, before the creature would have been able to figure out the role it should play.

Teal'c followed Daniel Jackson silently. He had no doubt that he and Major Carter were talking with their minds, most likely about the current situation. The stoic jaffa was content to remain silent, not wanting to intrude on anything. He couldn't help but be amazed at how well they appeared to be adapting to the new arrangement. He only wished it wasn't necessary.

The fault was his. Teal'c knew that he should have been more vigilant; he shouldn't have let Major Carter approach the statue so carelessly. There had to have been a way that he could have realistically prevented this, but nothing came to mind. It had only been a statue, albeit a most disturbing one. How could anyone be expected to see a danger in such an object? And, yet, he still expected it of himself.

The whole walk out of the pyramid, he didn't catch sight of O'Neill. There was apparently no danger, as they had all traversed these halls before, but it was still negligent of the commander to effectively abandon his team like that. This behavior would need to end, Teal'c was resolute on that fact.

When they did reach the exit, the sky was already well on its way to complete darkness. O'Neill had apparently gotten a considerable head start on them, a fire already burning. Colonel O'Neill sat beside it, seemingly mesmerized by the dancing flames.

"O'Neill, I must speak with you." Teal'c announced.

"Later, T. Right now, help me set up the tent." He deflected.

"What about us?" Daniel chimed in.

"Eat." O'Neill replied simply.

"Hey, we can help, ya know!" Daniel shot back indignantly, Sam mentally sighing.

"Be that as it may, it doesn't take… more than 2 to set up a tent. Besides, we don't know what kind of side effects there may be, so you should take it easy." He had taken a long pause, debating on whether to say 3 or 4, but Teal'c saw that the obvious conflict with what to say had hurt his friends more than the actual words.

"O'Neill is correct, you should not overexert yourselves until more knowledge is obtained." Teal'c agreed with O'Neill's reasoning, however. He watched for a moment as Daniel Jackson gave one last look of frustration before sitting down on a rock by the fire. As he and O'Neill made quick work of the tent, he saw that they only picked at the MRE they had selected.

He grabbed Colonel O'Neill as he began to move off. Teal'c wasn't going to let him get away until he had said his piece.

"Teal'c, I need to go scout the perimeter." O'Neill tried to shrug him off, but Teal'c wouldn't be dissuaded.

"You will hear me, O'Neill."

"Fine, spill it." Teal'c saw that the man realized there was no way he was going to get out of this, so he stopped struggling.

"Your behavior towards Major Carter and Daniel Jackson must end."

"Teal'c..." he began.

"There is no doubt as to their identity, O'Neill; you must also see this. They are coping with a most strenuous situation, and as such, will require our support. You are yet to provide any."

"It's all wrong, Teal'c. None of this should have happened. I shouldn't have split us up."

"Such thoughts do not help anyone. What has transpired is done, blame does not rest with you. What remains is to help them through this and find a means of returning them to their normal state." What Teal'c didn't say out loud was that the blame rested with him.

With that he let O'Neill go and went to the fire.

*

Jack just stood there for a few minutes, taking in all that Teal'c had told him. The big man was right... about some things. If he dared to consider it, he knew that it was Daniel and Carter in there, the severity of her reaction only went to proving that. It WAS, however, his fault. His poor judgement had led to this situation, even though, if he cared to admit it, he knew that if Teal'c couldn't have prevented what had happened, then there was no way he could have expected himself to fare any better. How could he force himself on them, though, when he was responsible for them being the way they were? They may not see it that way, but he knew it was true.

Reluctantly, he joined them by the fire. The warning glare, or at least what passed as the jaffa's equivalent, Teal'c shot him was unmistakable. He sat down on the opposite side of the fire as Carter and Daniel… Carter/Daniel? God, no matter how he said it in his head, it sounded wrong. It was wrong; they shouldn't have to deal with this.

"What do you think General Hammond will do?" Jack flinched at the dual tones that indicated that a symbiote was talking. He hadn't been prepared for it, thinking that Daniel was still in the lead. She saw his reaction and shifted uncomfortably, lowering her eyes. Her eyes, or his eyes? Neither sounded quite right, but what else could he call them? It was strange how even though it was Daniel's body, he could clearly see Carter in the movements she made. Definitely hers, he finally decided.

He probably should apologize, or otherwise tell her it was ok, but he hadn't a clue what to say. And it wasn't nearly enough. The only way he could ever truly ask for forgiveness or live with himself was if he got them back to normal. "Don't know, but he's never let us down before."

She must have seen the veiled apology for what it was, because her expression softened perceptibly. But he still couldn't apologize for getting them in this situation; couldn't ask them to forgive him as he still couldn't forgive himself. Carter's eyes showed signs of hope that hadn't been there before, he only hoped that Hammond really would be true to himself and take it like he thought the General would. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

It was getting dark and he didn't know how long he could sit there looking at them like this. Every time he was reminded that Daniel had to share his body, a pang of guilt shot through him. "Well, campers, we should catch some shuteye for tomorrow. Teal'c and I will divvy up watches."

"Sir." She immediately protested.

Jack was proud of himself when he didn't even miss a beat in his reply, mostly by ignoring her tone, lifting a warning finger into the air. "Ah, ah! We don't know what could happen to you two at any time. Besides, I'm LETTING you skip watch, you should be happy."

"I feel fine, Daniel's fine. We're ok." Carter continued.

It just occurred to him that he had 2 geeks ganging up on him, which under any other circumstance would have been a bad thing for his argument. But this situation was much different than the one Daniel had had him in. There was no logical reason for him to let them take watch, something really COULD happen to them. He was settled. "Get some rest, that's an order."

They definitely weren't happy about it, but quickly realized they weren't going to win this one. Jack decided that they would split it up into 3 watches, and managed to get Teal'c to take the middle one while he took the beginning and ending watch. Figuring the less time he was around Daniel and Carter to remind them of what he had done, the better. Jack couldn't think of a better solution. He was only shocked that Teal'c hadn't fought against it more for equal times, or insisted upon taking the longer portion himself. For that much he could be glad, at least. Teal'c must've understood his need for some privacy. Gave him plenty of time to think.

As Carter and Daniel filed into the tent, Teal'c deciding to give both Jack and them some free time by going into the woods, Jack let his mind loose. Those that didn't know him might actually believe that he was as smart as he pretended to be, which wasn't very. But those that had been around him long enough knew the defense mechanism for what it was. He was a soldier, Black Ops trained, and quicker than many might give him credit for. Being underestimated was always a plus in his line of work; enemies would get sloppy and you JUST might survive the mission.

Right now all of this brainpower was focussed on the problem at hand. The immediate issue was returning to the SGC. This kind of situation had never been considered before. Sure, they were all more than aware of the possibility of getting snaked, but having someone turn into one, and THEN getting a snake in the head was probably never even thought up. Who'd have thought that they'd come across people who would actually WANT to do that to themselves, become eternal prisoners in their own body? Definitely not something he'd ever want to do, or expect anyone with an ounce of intelligence to, either.

Shaking off those thoughts, they weren't going to be productive in helping him to deal with Hammond's reaction to this, he returned to the matter at hand. How could he possibly tell the General what had happened. 'Hello, sir, nice weather we're having. Did I mention that right now Carter's holed up in Daniel's brain?' didn't seem like the best introduction, for some reason. Unfortunately, words were never his line of specialty, and having Daniel try to explain it would probably be a mistake. They were going to have to tell Hammond that there was a snake in his head, and after going that far, how could he expect the General to really believe anything that Daniel might have to say? No doubt he would be less than convinced of the identity of the... mind, within.

*

Sam sat down on a bag that had been laid out inside of the tent. She understood why the Colonel wouldn't let them do much of anything, but still she wished they could contribute something to this mission, if for no other reason, than to have a distraction. Daniel was feeling much the same way. Neither of them really felt like sleeping, and seriously doubted they could if they tried.

The lack of distraction caused her mind to wander. She lifted up Daniel's hand, scrutinizing it. It wasn't hers, wasn't even part of her body, yet she could move it with hardly a thought, and felt it as surely as she had ever felt her own hand. Sam's scientific mind couldn't help but marvel at the fact that, as far as movement was concerned, she may as well be the way she always was. Was it this way with all symbiotes, or was the ease due to the fact that she used to...

She couldn't finish the thought as she felt herself choke up, tears forming in her... his eyes. She fought against it, acutely recognizing the fact that she was using Daniel's body, it wasn't hers even if she was in control. The waterworks display had been done already, before she was completely aware of what was going on. Now that she knew, she couldn't bring herself to do the act. It would be wrong to Daniel, to use his body like that.

//You're just giving yourself an excuse. No one would blame you for being upset.// Daniel retorted.

"How can you be so calm about this?" she asked aloud, out of habit. Though her volume was normal, the resonating tones seemed to echo unnaturally in the silence of the tent. She still wasn't quite used to the fact that she didn't have to talk aloud for him to hear her.

*I'm inside your head... and this doesn't bother you?** she amended.

//Not particularly. I WANT to help you, and this was the best way at the time. And, you have to admit, I haven't had the time to really register what has happened. Neither have you.// he pointed out.

**No,** she admitted. Though she had thought about some of the consequences, it still didn't feel real to her. It was almost as if she were looking through someone else's eyes... she didn't know whether to laugh insanely or sob uncontrollably at her unintentional pun. She could only hope that this was the dream that it felt like, and that she'd wake up from it as quickly as possible. As much as it may have felt like one, though, something told her that this wasn't a dream.

Why couldn't they just go out and have a simple mission without anything weird or dangerous happening to them? Most of their missions WERE just that, but when SG-1 got screwed, it was always with a vengeance, nothing mediocre for them. The severity of their mishaps more than made up for the frequency, making her feel like they never got a break.

She was no longer herself, that much was obvious to her, but Sam wasn't sure what she was anymore. Symbiote was just a name, it didn't tell her anything except that she wasn't Human. She was different. But did that difference just end physically? Her brain chemistry had most definitely been altered, so how could she be sure that everything formatted correctly? Maybe the machine was supposed to change her mentally too, make her evil, greedy, Goa'uld. If that were so, then she'd probably never even notice.

//Sam, you're not evil. Remember that you're not alone in here. I'd know.// Daniel broke in, when he could contain himself no longer. She had become so deep in thought that she had forgotten he was listening to her, whether he wanted to or not. He could hear her every thought, the idea of which made her involuntarily cringe. Neither of them could ever have true privacy again. Yet another thing she had stolen from him, aside from full custody of his body.

That thought pained her greatly.

God, she just wanted to curl up in the corner and cry herself to sleep. The Colonel certainly wasn't going to trust her any longer, she was the enemy now. He hated... symbiotes, even the Tok'ra were pretty low on his list. She'd get kicked off the team for sure. Hell, she'd be lucky to stay at the SGC. They probably wouldn't even believe it was her. As a Goa'uld they'd study her, interrogate her for information she didn't have. They might even remove her, and then what?

Worse than that was thinking of Daniel. He'd be stuck in the middle of everything, suffer because they wouldn't believe HER. She didn't want anything to happen to him, not because of her, not ever. If she knew how to go about it, she'd leave him right now. As it was, though, she was afraid that if she did anything, aside from causing him a lot of pain, she could seriously injure him.

//Stop that! I did this because I didn't want you to die. You didn't steal anything. I CHOSE to do this, Sam. I expected this to happen and don't regret it in the least.// he began, and then continued. //None of that will happen, General Hammond would never allow it. And, if it did, I would want to go through it with you. I won't abandon you. WE won't abandon you.// she felt the conviction behind his thoughts, and believed that he and Teal'c would always be there for her. But even with Daniel's certainty, she couldn't be sure about the Colonel, just being what she was now put her on his 'bad' list. Daniel, of course, thought that she was being completely foolish on that whole matter, and she was forced to reluctantly agree with him, but only just. She still had her doubts.

Teal'c soon entered the tent and sat down in preparation for kel'no'reem. He sat there for several moments as they just watched each other.

"You should be attempting to rest." He finally stated, his tone devoid of any accusation.

"I don't think that'll be possible." She replied without thinking. All the mental talking with Daniel, where her thoughts had her 'normal' voice, had made her forget that her tone was deeply disturbing, especially to herself. Seemed that she'd been doing a lot of forgetting in these few short hours. God, she hated to talk. Hated this voice she was now forced to have. She could hardly remember a time when hearing it had ever meant good news. Either it was the Goa'uld, or the Tok'ra looking for help against them. Too many bad memories had come from such a voice.

"Indeed," Teal'c replied in understanding, "but the attempt should still be made."

She nodded. He was right. Only as she slid into the sleeping bag did she realize how tired she was. It had taken more out of her… them, than she had first thought.

Sam thought about taking the backseat. When she was in the control she could almost forget about the true body she now inhabited, she had to focus very intently to even feel it. If the Goa'uld felt the same way she had when not in control, she could understand why they would suppress their host, and that was disturbing. She didn't WANT to understand them, afraid that if she did, as she was now, she just might become as they are. Daniel rebutted that it would never happen, and though she wasn't as sure as he seemed to be, his support comforted her.

Without the distraction of his body's input she would be surrounded by the evidence of her position. She would be surrounded by him. Even after she had gotten over the initial shock of it previously, the experience had been far from pleasant. Sam would be wrapped up inside of warm, beating flesh; almost comforting in a disturbing sort of way. It had made her feel rather claustrophobic. She would be stuck inside of a body she still had virtually no idea of how to control, a body that she'd much rather forget ever existed. Sleeping would be hard enough; sleeping like that would be all but impossible.

**Daniel.** she began, feeling deeply ashamed to ask, but not knowing what else to do. She doubted she could even last the night surrounded by his flesh, but how could she just expect him to just step back.

//Go ahead Sam, it's ok.// she continued to forget that he could hear her thoughts like she could his, getting to wrapped up in musings to truly remember her situation. Unlike her, Daniel explained, he felt more disconnected than anything when not in control, simply unable to move his body. He chuckled at Sam's hesitance, and even the mental equivalent of the action was comforting.

The horrors of the day seemed to all but melt away, and before either of them knew it they were asleep.

##

//Go!// the plea was desperate.

**No, we will live or die as one. I will not abandon you.** They had been together too long, it wouldn't end this way.

//Don't let it win. I can buy you time to escape. Please, we shouldn't both end now. You are needed.//

**Rosha.** Jolinar gave her own plea.

//If you stay, it will only mean we both die. I want you to live, please Jolinar!//

She relented, her host was right. Nothing good would come out of staying, especially against her wishes. **I will miss you, old friend.**

//And I you, now go.// Jolinar hesitated a few moments, then turned to the older woman beside her. She had actually volunteered, even knowing that the Ash'rak was after her.

"We are ready now." Jolinar informed the older woman.

"Then we should make haste." Bellu responded. The two humans kissed, and Jolinar passed from one to the other.

Bellu felt a moment of weakness as Jolinar wound herself into her mind and body. Rosha was quick to catch the other woman before she fell. Her eyes flashed, announcing that the process was completed, as complete as it would get with the threat of getting caught lingering on all of their minds. Jolinar couldn't help but focus on the blood that trickled out of the corner of Rosha's mouth.

"Now go, before all is for naught." Rosha stated, pointing at the Chappa'ai behind them. As Jolinar began pressing the symbols to the next destination, Rosha fled into the forest. For a time the Ash'rak would be fooled, as long as she could stay far enough away that he wouldn't feel the lack of a symbiote. Jolinar held no illusions though; he would be angered at her audacity.

She would never see Rosha again.

"Goodbye, dear friend. I am sorry." She whispered into the night before stepping through the shimmering vortex.

--

He had almost killed her. Bellu had barely been able to get through the Chappa'ai, the wounds were so severe. Jolinar did all she could, but it was beyond her powers to repair. They collapsed at the foot of the Chappa'ai, unable to go further. They remained there for over a day, only Jolinar keeping them alive, and even so, just barely. She was determined to live, for Rosha's sake.

It was lucky that a hunter had found them. She didn't have time to ask him, couldn't afford his refusal. So, with the last bit of energy that Bellu possessed, she pulled him down to her. He wasn't close enough, and his mouth was closed. Without choice, she launched herself at him and entered from the side of the neck.

As she asserted herself within, she tried to calm him. She tried to use the comforting tones that she had learned from Rosha's memories of her mother, but nothing would work. He fought against her, fear and panic fueling him. Jolinar tried to tell him her plight, assure him that this was the only way and that she would leave him at the first opportunity. But he didn't understand, and refused to listen. This was not the way the Tok'ra operated, but she had promised Rosha she would live.

**I have no wish to harm you, but I must hide. Please understand.** His thoughts were frantic, incoherent.

She did the only thing she could do. She suppressed him.

--

Jolinar knew that she would die soon. The Goa'uld attack was swift and deadly, the Nasyan she hid in was severely wounded. He had stopped breathing. She had failed.

Someone was hitting him, and then breathing into his mouth. She couldn't believe the chance she was being given. It was all she could do to raise his arm and hold the person down as she jumped hosts.

She was even more frantic than the man had been. She also had a better understanding. Again and again the woman thought 'Goa'uld'.

**I am not Goa'uld!** Jolinar insisted.

"Carter, you alright?" A man asked, Colonel O'Neill.

"He bit his tongue." She supplied to account for the blood, all the while the woman, Samantha Carter, as she gleaned from her memories, fought against her.

//They'll find you out!//

**They will not.** she couldn't afford to be caught, by anyone.

##

*

Somehow, Jack had managed to fall asleep. He had thought that it wouldn't be possible, sharing the same area as them, but looking at Daniel's form sleeping, he could almost forget that he had a snake in his head, and that Carter was that snake.

But his sleep had been disturbed by something, and it took Jack a few moments to identify the rustling behind him. Soft whimpers and moans, the resonating letting him know it was Carter, began to fill the tent. He sat up in his bag as the sounds got louder and the rustling became thrashing.

"No!" she screamed. Carter's eyes snapped open and in the darkness of the tent, they glowed. Jack stiffened. Her eyes had glowed. It made it more real than even the voice had. They had synthesizers on Earth, they could make that sound if they wanted to, and did so all the time on training missions. But the eyes were something they couldn't do. They'd never want to do that anyway, it touched too close to the enemy.

Sure, there were the Tok'ra, but they had been burned by them so many times that it often became hard for Jack to distinguish them and the Gould. Sometimes it seemed like the only difference was their names.

"Carter?" he had no idea what to do. She didn't answer, and from the firelight that filtered through the material he saw she was staring at the ceiling. Looking out the tent he could see Teal'c's shadow. He was sitting back down, probably deciding that he couldn't help the current situation, and if he was needed, that Jack would call him.

"Sam?" he heard Daniel's voice ask frantically.

"What is it Daniel?" Jack asked. Was there some sort of complication? Should they hightail it back to the 'gate ASAP?

"Nightmare." Daniel explained, alleviating some of his fears. "Sam!"

But Daniel's concern quickly cut any comfort the statement had given him. "What's wrong?" Jack demanded as he began to get up.

"Sam, talk to me." He sounded like he was pleading. "It was a memory of Jolinar's, shook her up real bad."

"Can't you hear her thoughts?"

"Yeah, but right now it's so jumbled I can't make any sense of it. She's also trying to block me, I think."

As if they didn't have problems enough as it was. "What was the dream?"

"Jolinar was running from the Ash'rak. 3 hosts died, Jolinar was so desperate to live. She relived her blending through Jolinar's eyes. Oh god." Daniel finally concluded.

"What?" Oh god what? He could only imagine how traumatizing that event had been and still was, but what exactly of it did Daniel suddenly realize.

"She had no control. She was helpless to stop Jolinar from doing anything. The grenade, Sam tried so hard to stop her. She KNEW exactly what she was thinking and was going to do, but she couldn't stop it. Jolinar had been desperate, she would have done almost anything at that point to get home." Jack was beginning to understand, though blowing up that grenade would have been a far cry from ensuring her survival, it would have been quite the opposite actually. But, of course, at that point all rational thought had probably been abandoned. Carter must be afraid of putting Daniel in the same situation: powerless.

"Damn it, Carter! This is completely different, you would never do that." Jack said, not knowing if she could or would hear him.

"Not entirely different, she's been taken against her will again, just this time she's not the host." Daniel stated softly.

"This day just keeps getting better and better." Jack responded dryly.

*

Silently Daniel followed Jack out to the fire. Sleep, he knew, was something that none of them were going to get the rest of the night.

"Is all well?" Teal'c inquired.

"Carter's clammed up." Teal'c looked at Jack questioningly. "She's giving Daniel the silent treatment."

"I see." The jaffa replied dubiously.

"She's afraid of doing something I'll regret." Daniel explained.

//Please talk to me.// she didn't respond to his request, or even make as though she had heard it.

"Major Carter would never do anything that you did not give prior assent to." Teal'c stated confidently.

"I know that, but she doesn't trust herself."

"Does Major Carter not realize that she hurts you more by this distancing than any action she could take?" It was obvious to Daniel that the words were meant for Sam more than himself. It was true though, he couldn't stand not being able to help her, to be pushed away. Apparently she did hear the words, he felt her shift slightly.

//Sam.// he tried again.

**Don't. Not now.** she pleaded. Well, it was something. He knew that pushing her wasn't going to get them anywhere, so he just let her know he was there for her and left Sam to herself. Well, as much as he could, given that they were in the same body and could hear each other's thoughts.

"Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I think sleep is out." Jack commented.

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed, and Daniel simply nodded. He tried to ignore Sam's thoughts, attempting to give her some measure of privacy. It was hard though, like a buzz beneath the surface, sometimes it got just loud enough that he couldn't help but hear it. For the most part he just caught her emotions. Anger, fear, and frustration all took turns within her. The parts of her thoughts that he did pick up were disjointed and made no sense on their own: 'hate', 'shouldn't have', and 'don't understand'. But he didn't ask, just tried to ignore what he did hear and not think about it.

For his part, Daniel did some thinking of his own. He hadn't really had time to yet, trying to help Sam to cope. As far as he was concerned, he had the easy part anyway; he hadn't been altered in any way. Of course, at first he had been afraid that it wouldn't be Sam stuck in his head, but there had seemed little chance of that. If what the alien had said was right, which he really didn't think about at the time in more than a subconscious way, then if someone/something else had been in there it would have been awoken before they had gotten there.

What was with that alien anyway? How long had it been in there waiting? Was it in some sort of suspended animation? If that was the case then it could have been centuries or even longer. He began to really wonder about this species that would consider getting a symbiote in their head an honor. Didn't they realize that the person... alien, or however they called themselves, could, if they so desired, simply take control of their body? The alien had said 'we', but were they only fooling themselves? Were they still around somewhere? Daniel figured, barring outside help from one of their allies, that the only way to possibly reverse this would be to find the people who made this place. Sadly, though, it looked like they weren't here, and he couldn't read any note they may have left as to their whereabouts even if he wanted to.

As he continued to wonder about this newly encountered species, Daniel realized one thing: it was going to be a long time until morning.

*

The rest of the night had lapsed into stretches of uncomfortable silence occasionally broken by awkward attempts at conversation. Unfortunately, attempts at casual talk were difficult to maintain as everyone was distracted by thoughts of the situation. Teal'c wasn't surprised when everything was packed up and they were ready to depart at the first sight of the sun.

None of them wanted to remain any longer than necessary. It seemed to him they were afraid if they stayed too long that something else would happen. He believed he heard O'Neill mutter something about tempting fate, and had to admit that he definitely didn't feel too comfortable in this place.

O'Neill took point while Teal'c brought up the rear. He had failed Major Carter in allowing her to touch the statue, an event which he knew would continue to weigh on him heavily. Teal'c had not told O'Neill that it was his fault, telling O'Neill that he blamed himself would have just caused complications at that moment. He would have denied that Teal'c held any blame for events, and he didn't want to trouble Major Carter and Daniel Jackson to overhear an argument of such content. Teal'c just knew that he should have been able to prevent what had transpired. He was not aware Major Carter's seemingly clouded judgement, but had seen the blankness in her eyes just before her hand had made contact. He should have found a way to stop her. He could not take back his lack of action, despite how much he wished it, but he could do his part to prevent further harm from falling to any of them.

The walk was silent, Teal'c taking his duty as serious as he ever had. Scanning the surrounding forest for any signs of animal life, or unforeseen inhabitants, that may have the idea of attack, he let his mind clear of any other thoughts. Dwelling on the events, especially while charged with another's care, was a foolish thing that led to foolish mistakes. It was only the task he charged himself with, though, that even allowed him to push those thoughts aside.

No attacks occurred on the way to the 'gate. The trip was as eventful as it was talkative.

The large ring never looked so inviting... or foreboding.

"I can't do this." Major Carter suddenly announced, the dual tones carrying more urgency than he had ever thought possible, as she took a step away.

"Carter..." O'Neill began without turning around, sighing the word.

"They won't believe it's me. What about the NID? I don't want to be studied." Her frantic tone cut right through Teal'c. He was responsible for these fears.

"I will never allow the NID to lay hands you." He responded resolutely. He'd die before letting them near them, and some of them he wouldn't mind taking along with him. He could think of one name that would be first on the list.

"Don't worry, Carter. Hammond knows what he's doing. Forget us, HE'D never let it happen." O'Neill added in a gentler tone, but his exasperation was still evident. Her expression calmed only slightly. Teal'c began to dial in the address for Earth.

"I think that it'd be best if Daniel is in charge, the welcoming committee might get a little jumpy." O'Neill stated. Teal'c saw the wisdom in the idea, it was quite plausible that the SF's on the other side might act hastily were they to hear her voice.

They watched her head bow as she gave control to Daniel. He knew that someone would have to talk with Daniel Jackson about this current situation; knowing his friend, he didn't have time enough to even contemplate what had happened to him, offering all of his support to help Major Carter. Eventually that would change, and Teal'c would make sure that they didn't crash.

The 'gate opened up in its usual splendor, large blue wave bursting forth before being recalled to the center. O'Neill typed in the iris code into his GDO and received a confirmation, nodding to them that it was safe. He saw Daniel Jackson's eyes close momentarily, and imagined the reassurances he must have been trying to placate Major Carter with.

O'Neill went through first, Teal'c again bringing up the rear.

*

General Hammond sat behind the large pile of paperwork on his desk. It was a never-ending cycle, he would finish up a batch and more would never fail to follow closely on its heels. He knew more than most that being a general wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

The klaxons came to life just as he was about to sign off on another mission report. Sighing as he got up, he mentally tracked all the current off-world teams. SG-6 had just left on an extended mission to a seemingly friendly planet. SG-9 was finishing up a trade agreement with an advanced metallurgical society and could return at any time. SG-1 still had a full day to finish their mission, and nothing short of a disaster would possibly be able to tear Jackson away from that pyramid.

Call it General's Instinct, call it intuition, or just plain call it the luck of SG-1. Hammond knew who was coming through. He also knew he was not going to like it.

"Receiving SG-1's IDC, sir." The technician informed him as he entered the Control Room. For once, he would like to have been wrong. Maybe it would be something trivial... he could only hope.

"Open the iris." He watched as the metal slid back to reveal the shimmering pool underneath.

Colonel O'Neill was the first one to step through, and Hammond couldn't miss his hesitant pace. Not running from an enemy, at least. But his actions were almost lethargic, like he dreaded each step that brought him further down the ramp. Doctor Jackson came through next, head downcast and absently rubbing at the back of his neck. Neither of them looked happy, but neither could he distinguish what was troubling them both. Teal'c finally stepped through, looking like Teal'c always did, and then the 'gate disengaged.

Hammond counted the team again, just to be sure.

"Colonel O'Neill, where is Major Carter?" he instantly demanded over the intercom. They weren't immediately seeking to return to the planet as he would expect if she had been stranded there for some reason or another. Their sluggish movements began to frighten him, though he didn't allow it to show. She couldn't be dead, could she?

"Sir, we need to talk," the Colonel began, "in private."

Now his interest was most certainly piqued. What the hell had happened that he just wouldn't go out and say it? "Very well, Colonel. In my office, now."

He watched as the team relinquished their equipment before making their way out of the Gate Room. Even though he wanted to have this all figured out immediately, Hammond made sure that the team preceded him to the office, trying to keep some of the decorum of a General.

"Ok, Colonel, this had better be good." The General demanded after shutting the door a bit more forcefully than necessary.

Jack looked at him, lowered his head, cleared his throat, looked back up and opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"I'm waiting." He prompted. For all he knew, Carter's life could be in danger, though if that were the case, he'd expect different behavior from the people before him. Hammond just wanted them to spill it, the suspense was definitely not worth having, especially with potential lives hanging in the balance.

"Well, sir." Jack began, but quickly reached a dead-end.

Answers, all he wanted were a few answers. Was that so much to ask? "Colonel O'Neill... would SOMEONE tell me where the hell Major Carter is?" he all but shouted.

"General Hammond, Major Carter is in fact here with us at this moment." Teal'c began.

Funny, he didn't see her there. What, was this another invisible, Crystal Skull type deal? "I don't like guessing, people."

"Ah, well, actually, she's in me." Jackson stumbled.

He swore, if they skirted the question one more time...

"She's been turned into a symbiote, sir." Jack finally spilled after seeing the dangerous look in the General's eye.

"Excuse me?" he didn't just hear them right, did he?

Doctor Jackson's head lowered momentarily before raising back up again, coming to attention. "It's true, sir" a Goa'uld tone replied meekly. He couldn't help but stiffen at the voice and stare at Doctor Jackson dubiously.

"Major Carter?" he also couldn't help but ask the question, as stupid as it may be. As if a Gould would admit if was impersonating someone else... unless it somehow improved its situation.

"Yes, sir." Came the reply, Jackson's head remained focussed on the wall somewhere behind his head, he still couldn't be sure that it really was the Major. This just wasn't possible, was it?

"You can't be serious."

"'Fraid so." the Colonel commented. Despite all that they had seen throughout the years, he still couldn't believe it.

"How?" Hammond was still too taken aback to form a more constructive sentence.

"We're not quite sure about the specifics ourselves, sir." O'Neill replied, noticeably more comfortable with the situation, though obviously still not entirely at ease about it.

"I touched a statue, sir, and when I woke up we were like this." The General had been so focussed on the Gould tone, wondering how it could possibly be her, that he almost missed the words themselves, but quickly recovered.

"I?" which I?

"Major Carter." She? replied.

"Major Carter did, in fact, disappear. Another device was discovered and determined to be a means to retrieve Major Carter, by implanting her within someone else." Teal'c began.

"You're telling me that you just casually used a device that could have been potentially harmful?"

"Not at all, sir. There didn't seem to be much of a choice, and Daniel had been rather confident of what it was supposed to do." Jack quickly rebutted.

Ok, this was getting to be a bit much for him to process. Hammond knew he'd need some time to assimilate what he had already heard before hearing any more.

"And you're SURE that this is Major Carter?" the General hoped to get at least one question resolved before bringing this to an end.

"Yes, sir." Jack responded.

"I am certain." Teal'c stated simultaneously. If Jack was sure, then there must be something to it. He was a very skeptical man to begin with. And Teal'c knew the Gould like none other on the base, so his thoughts were worth a lot to the General as well.

The General, after taking a few moments to compose himself, picked up the phone. "Have Doctor Fraiser come to my office."

*

"What?" Janet exclaimed when they had finished their tale. Statues and pyramids and somehow Sam had been turned into a symbiote, it was all too much. It was impossible, yet there was the proof staring her in the face.

"It's true, doc." Colonel O'Neill affirmed. It didn't do much to reassure her. Having a parasite in your head was certainly a traumatic experience, but how could anyone cope with becoming one? She had to wonder; if it was indeed Sam inside of Daniel, how she could cope with such an event? Wearing the face of the enemy, so to speak.

When in doubt, slip into doctor mode, she mentally supplied for herself. "Ok, Warner can deal with your post-missions just fine. Doctor, Major, you can come with me. General?"

"Dismissed." He responded and soon his office was empty.

--

She performed every test she could think of. Blood samples were being examined in the lab, x-rays were drying, and multitudes of other tasks were queued up. There was no real way to keep a lid on this, she knew that nurses would be gossiping before long, despite anything she might try and do to the contrary. There was just too much involved to even consider keeping it from the rest of the base for long. God only knew what would happen then.

"Everything ok?" Daniel asked from his seat on one of the beds. It hadn't escaped her notice that he had been doing most of the talking.

"I really don't know," she admitted, sighing, "we haven't had enough experience to know much of anything about the blending process. All I do know is that Sam's been turned into a fully adult symbiote. What I don't get is why you're vision hasn't improved any, a symbiote should be able to repair this kind of thing, and I'm not sure what to make of it here." The problem was that she had no idea what she might be looking for, or to expect, and was even less sure of what to do if she found anything. It didn't help that there were already a few things that didn't quite add up with the normal profile, as they understood it.

"Well, we do feel fine. I have had glasses practically my whole life, so maybe it's being considered normal, and therefore being left alone, or maybe healing is done on a conscious level."

"Let's just hope it's something that simple." Janet replied. "How are you doing with all this."

"It hasn't really sunk in yet. I just can't believe it all." He stated wondrously.

"I couldn't imagine. How about you, Sam?" she questioned her best friend.

Daniel's head drooped, and remained downcast. "I keep hoping it's all just a bad dream." Sam responded in little more than a whisper, cringing at her own voice. She could understand that sentiment. Janet had no idea what she'd do in that kind of situation, and had no desire to find out.

She didn't have anything to say to it, as desperately as she wanted to help her friends, she didn't want to give them false platitudes. Needing to do SOMETHING, though, she settled for putting her hand on their shoulder, their as the gesture was for them both, and gave them a small smile.

Looking at the clock she saw that the day had nearly come to a close. "I'd like you to stay in the infirmary tonight, for observation."

"Janet, is that really necessary? It's been a day and nothing's happened." Sam informed the doctor, her voice taking on a pleading tone.

"I don't know..." she began, even with the auditory reminder, she almost forgot the situation before her. The members of SG-1 always tried to fight their way out of the infirmary if possible, the familiarity of the scene obfuscating the true problem at hand.

"My quarters. They're on this level. Please, Janet, I can't spend the night here."

Janet had to wonder how much of this was not wanting to be put on public display. If no one else, the nursing staff would know, and no doubt trying to sleep with those kind of curious stares would be disconcerting, to say the least. "Ok, but you will inform someone the instant anything feels different." She would have said wrong, but had figured that anything in their current state would be wrong. Even as it was, different wasn't a very good word to use either.

"I will." She assured the doctor. Nodding that she had no more tests to run, she watched her friend leave the infirmary with barely disguised haste.

*

Sam almost ran into Teal'c as she exited the infirmary. Janet had kicked the Colonel and him out long ago during the tests, though the former was nowhere in sight. "Hey, Teal'c." she greeted as silently as possible. People were walking by and she didn't want them to hear her.

"Major Carter," he returned, bowing slightly, "I wish to offer my assistance in anything you or Daniel Jackson may require."

"Thanks, but if it's all the same to you, I think I'd rather be alone right now." He bowed his head again at her reply.

"Then I shall take my leave. I wish you well." She watched him turn the corner. An airman walked by, and Sam swore that he stared at her longer than the situation would require. He must know, she thought.

//You're reading too much into it.// Daniel tried.

But the entire walk, as short as it may have been, to her quarters seemed to be filled with lingering stares. Everyone she saw stared, or at least that's what her mind supplied. They all knew what she was now, hated her for it.

//That's not true.//

**God, I'm a SNAKE, Daniel! How could anyone NOT hate me?** she retorted as she slammed the door shut, finding some measure of safety in her room. At least she couldn't see their faces in there.

//I don't hate you.// the statement gave her pause for a moment. He was Daniel, more understanding than most. Of course he wouldn't hate her.

//Teal'c doesn't hate you.// he continued in response.

**He has one in his gut, his situation is just a little bit different than anyone else's on this base.**

//Jack doesn't.// she had to laugh at that one. The Colonel certainly seemed to be trying to help, her own mental sarcasm causing her to snort. Teal'c had waited for her at the infirmary, told them quite plainly that he'd be there to do anything they needed him to do. Apparently HE, however, hadn't seen the need to be around more than he was forced to, which only went to support her previous hypothesis. He hated her... at the very least he distrusted her.

**Could have fooled me...**

*

Sam laid down in the bed, effectively ending their little dialogue. Sadly, Jack wasn't giving him much of an argument against her accusations. Even though Daniel knew it weren't so, it certainly LOOKED like she was right. Jack was better than that, though. Sure, he had a problem with the Tok'ra as well as the Goa'uld. With all that had happened, who could blame him? He got along fine with Jacob, but then again he and Selmak never did much talking.

//Sam.// he tried, even though she had made it clear she didn't want to talk.

**Daniel, I want to go to sleep, ok?** she deflected, and he felt frustration radiate from her.

//You're not being fair to him.// This situation was a lot for ANYONE to take in, Jack was still acclimating like they were.

**Not being fair to him?** she shot back in disbelief. She was right, he wasn't being fair to her either.

//Just, calm down and give it some thought. Maybe once you've gone over it with a cooler head you might see that your being too hard on him.// well, he could try, couldn't he?

Suddenly Daniel found himself in control.

//What are you doing?//

**Going to sleep.** she stated with finality. He mentally kicked himself. He had come up with nothing to defend Jack with. A whole lot of circumstantial evidence against him, though. She was hurt. As far as Sam could see, her CO didn't trust her anymore, saw her as nothing more than another damned snakehead, Jack certainly hadn't tried to say otherwise. She shuddered at the term, the movement feeling odd, but not painful, to Daniel.

//You don't have to do this.// he continued. They had already established that she didn't do the in-body experience too well.

**I'll have to learn sometime.**

//Sam, this won't be permanent. I'll figure out those writings and we'll find the builders.// He did it again, forgot that she could hear his thoughts. He'd been thinking about the writings most of the day, and sadly concluded that, without some sort of reference or starting place, he wouldn't be able to get anywhere.

He tried to apologize, but Sam was giving him the silent treatment again.

Deciding that at this point he could only try to get some sleep, Daniel sighed and wondered what exactly they had done to deserve this.

*

Thinking about anything BUT the position she was in, Sam had managed to fall asleep. Something, however, was pulling her from a surprisingly restful state that had included no dreams to haunt her. As consciousness returned she began to feel a dull ache.

Daniel was still asleep, dreamless, as she had been. Not wanting to wake him, she calmed herself. The pain wasn't bad, just annoying at the moment. With revulsion she searched for the source. It was the first time she had really examined her body and it was worse than she had imagined. Everything was wrong, the structure was so different to a human's body that she still didn't know how to control everything, she didn't even know where everything was or what it did, not that she tried too much, considering the pain it seemed to cause Daniel.

Sam couldn't help but get caught up in her new self, actually taking the time to try and understand a little better. Starting with the tendrils that were woven inside of Daniel's brain, she decided that they kind of felt like arms, though the comparison was shaky at best. Arms had joints and bones, but the tendrils had neither, simply flexible throughout as evidenced by their positions inside of his brain. Actually acknowledging consciously that she was, quite literally, wired into his brain made her wince, which translated more into a sudden contraction of her muscles. There were so many of the tendrils, that actually focussing on one was all but impossible to her. It would probably come with time, but she didn't want to be in this state long enough to figure it out.

Skipping any thoughts on her head, that was still far too disturbing for her to even consider, she tried to find some sort of parallel for the body itself. It was so foreign to anything she could compare it to from a human that she found herself at a loss. Though it was essentially a spine, it still wasn't quite the same. Firstly, she didn't know of any normal person that would be able to contort themselves as she could, though her position didn't really give her room to try. Also, the fact that it pretty much doubled as legs left her very disheartened. It definitely made her glad that she had been immediately put inside Daniel. She didn't want to think about herself slithering... - who was she kidding, she wouldn't have the slightest clue how to slither - to think about herself writhing on the floor. That would have just been far too much.

Getting back on track, she found that the pain emanated from her middle, what the structure was she could only hazard to guess. It wasn't so bad, besides, she really didn't want to wake up Daniel and have him worry. Having to spend more time in the infirmary really wasn't high on her list of wants either. Hoping it was just a cramp of some sort that would disappear by morning, she ignored it and tried to fall back to sleep.

*

Daniel awoke with a start as he was pushed aside. With the lingerings of sleep clouding his thoughts it took him several moments to figure out what was going on. By that time he saw that Sam had his body curled up with hands wrapped tightly around his waist. She whimpered and through the connection he could feel the pain she was in.

//Sam?// what the hell was going on?

Her mind was racing, and all he could understand were thoughts about the pain.

//Call for someone!// he advised. Something definitely wasn't right.

**Hurts! Oh god, it hurts!** She was scared out of her mind, that much he knew, and felt the same way. This was definitely not normal, and definitely wasn't good.

//I know. You need to call for help. Just scream, someone outside will hear you.// he tried to remain calm, knowing that he had to be if he wanted her to calm down. She was holding back the cries; even in this potentially very serious situation she didn't want others to know about her. Her resonating cry would be proof enough to anyone who didn't already know. //Sam, you need to do this!//

She was hesitant, but it was only a thought of what her situation might do to him that allowed her to cry out. As much as she was afraid of distrusting looks, she couldn't bring herself to endanger him. They must have had a guard at the door, because an airman was in there in an instant.

"Doctor Jackson?" she asked uncertainly, then added with hesitation, "Major Carter?"

"Janet! Hurts!" was all that Sam could manage in reply.

The airman rushed to the intercom. "Medical emergency in Major Carter's quarters!" The poor woman didn't know what to do, obviously a bit more than hesitant to touch them. She stood there with an uncertain look on her face as they waited for the medics to get there. Apparently, though, the woman felt that she had to do something, so she talked to them in a shaky voice. "Try to stay calm, they'll be here shortly."

Janet and a pair of medics were in the room less than a minute later. She pushed the airman aside and rushed to their side. "Sam? Daniel?"

"Make it stop!" Sam pleaded. Daniel wished he could do something, but all he could do was watch and try to sooth her, for all that it was worth. The pain throbbed incessantly, radiating out from her midsection. Even though it couldn't help her situation at all, she kept his arms clutched tightly around his chest reflexively.

One of the medics had taken her wrist, prying it away from her body and held it for a few moments. "Pulse is racing, ma'am."

He decided that it was easier to think of body parts as 'hers' when she was in control.

"Sam, you have to talk to me. Tell me what's going on." Janet stated urgently.

"It hurts! It hurts so badly!" tears had long since begun to trace paths down her cheeks.

"You hurt, or is it Daniel's body?" Janet clarified. His body was fine, but he could feel her pain as keenly as if it were his own. The rippling agony in her midsection was crippling.

"I... me." She gasped in reply. Janet immediately ordered them to be put on the awaiting gurney and they raced back to the infirmary as fast as possible.

*

Jack had heard the call over the intercom and was immediately out of his quarters and on his way to the infirmary. The whimpers of pain, reverberating whimpers, had been clearly audible in the background. When he got there he found Teal'c already waiting outside.

"What is it?" he asked as he came to a stop by the larger man.

"I do not know. I have not been allowed to see Daniel Jackson and Major Carter." In the brief moment of silence Jack heard the muffled cry come from inside.

"How long has that been going on?" the fact that she was still crying out in pain had him worried. Shouldn't the doc have given her some happy juice by now?

"As long as I have been here."

They waited outside several minutes, unable to block out the agonized cries that filtered to their ears. A nurse popped her head out, the open door allowing them to hear the pain filled sobs that much more clearly.

"She's asking for you, Mr. Teal'c." the woman held the door for him to enter. Jack stepped forward to follow, but her small hand stopped him.

"Excuse me." He stated, but had a fair idea what was to come.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Doctor Fraiser doesn't want to crowd Major Carter or Doctor Jackson." She held a look of sympathy, but very obviously wouldn't be swayed.

"I'm their CO. I don't think my presence will clog anything up." He replied, his eyes darkening noticeably.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but its doctor's orders." The nurse obviously feared the doc's retribution more than his, which, with her healthy supply of large needles, might not be wrong.

"Fine." He snapped, deciding that it was probably Carter's wishes more than Fraiser's herself. If his 2IC didn't want to see him, and she had every right not to after what he had done, then he'd make it easy on her. It didn't bother him, really. Turning sharply, he made his way to the gym.

*

Teal'c rushed to Major Carter's side and took her hand. She gripped it firmly, squeezing even harder when the pain peaked. Janet gave her some of the sedative they had created, with the help of his symbiote when they had tried to remove the Goa'uld from Kawalsky, to try and ease her pain. It didn't help much, not being that well developed to begin with, along with the intensity of the pain she was feeling, and the relief it did offer was extremely short lived. She was loath to give her more just yet; not knowing whether or not the drug may exacerbate the problem.

The whimpers and moans of pain that came from her were most gut wrenching. He noticed that the nurses didn't seem to know how to feel about the noise, whether to be disturbed or feel pity. The mixture of the 2 emotions on their faces was most displeasing, seeming to settle mostly on disturbed. Teal'c would have said something, but Major Carter's eyes were screwed shut as tightly as her grip on his hand, and bringing her attention to the problem would only serve to cause her more harm, though it would be of a mental nature.

The doctor's frustration was more than evident to him and everyone else in the room. She glanced at one of the x-rays hanging over the light, running her hand wearily through her hair and let out a deep sigh. Despite the tests she had run, she was still no closer to knowing what was going on than she had been in the beginning.

"Doctor Fraiser, could not General Carter be of some assistance?" Teal'c suggested as he wiped the Major's brow with his unoccupied hand.

"Couldn't hurt to try. I certainly am not getting anywhere." She picked up the phone on the wall. "General. No, sir, I don't know what's going on. No, sir. Teal'c thought of contacting the Tok'ra. Yes, sir, Jacob may know what's happening. Not long, sir. Whatever it is is getting worse. I don't know." He didn't have to hear both sides of the conversation to get the basic idea of what General Hammond had said.

"They are contacting the Tok'ra?"

"As we speak." Doctor Fraiser replied hopefully.

"Is there not more we can do for them?" Teal'c didn't like seeing his friends in such pain. Major Carter was to the point of moaning incoherently.

"Short of administering drugs to whose effect I could only guess, we can't do a thing. I'm going to look at the scans again." She informed him wearily.

"I will notify you of any change." He replied to the silent request.

"Thanks, Teal'c."

Her grip on his hand had not slackened, and it threatened to lose feeling. Teal'c didn't adjust the position, any discomfort to him was trivial at this point. He wanted to hurt, it would only be fitting, as he was responsible for the pain that Major Carter and Daniel Jackson were both feeling.

What frightened Teal'c was that he had never seen this happen before in all of his time serving the Goa'uld. To him that meant that the device must have failed in some way, if it had ever been fully functioning. This knowledge caused his jaw to set; he'd be responsible for Major Carter's death, and maybe even Daniel Jackson's as well.

*

Jack hit the punching back without restraint, his hands quickly becoming numb. With each contact he repeated the mantra 'it doesn't bother me.' It didn't bother him one bit that his 2IC, didn't want to see him. That she could be dying that very moment and not want him to be there. Wasn't a problem in the slightest.

Finally losing feeling in his right hand, he stopped. The bag swung wildly from it's mount, a testament to the force with which it had been worked. Someone who might try to stop it without being properly braced would probably find himself on the ground.

Still, the exercise had done nothing to relieve the frustration of the 'not' problem. All it had given him were some very stylish bloody knuckles.

Ok, he finally decided to admit it to himself, he was pissed. He had tried to be there for her, for both of them, but she wouldn't let him. Wouldn't at least Daniel have wanted him to be there? Did he, and then acquiesced to her wishes, or did Carter not tell anyone what he wanted? He had been sure that she wouldn't do such a thing before, but now he couldn't be so sure. Though he didn't believe that he deserved to be with them, he would have at least thought that one of them wanted him to be there.

Well, two could play at that game.

*

Selmak watched as Aldwin hastily entered her room. The younger Tok'ra's eyes were wild and his look urgent. "What is it that motivates you to such speed?" the old Tok'ra queried, already knowing that whatever his message was, it couldn't be good.

"The Tau'ri have just made contact. General Hammond has stated that there is a serious problem and Jacob's daughter requires your assistance." The young man replied, slightly out of breath.

Immediately, Jacob took control. "What's wrong?"

"He said only that it was of the utmost importance that you go to Earth as soon as is possible and that he would inform you there."

Jacob was on his way to the transport rings before the other man could blink.

**This does not sound good at all.** Selmak stated as the man rushed through the halls, pushing aside anyone who was in his way.

//That's the understatement of the century.// It wasn't like George to be cryptic, that much Jacob knew. That only meant things were worse than even the message itself had implied.

**I only hope that we are truly able to offer assistance in this matter.** Even though a symbiote and host love as one, Selmak had a special place in her heart for Sam that was separate from his fatherly love. The old Tok'ra respected her greatly as a strong and certain woman.

//No kidding.//

--

Jacob was through the 'gate and down the ramp the instant that a confirmation came through on the GDO. "What's going on, George?" he immediately asked without preamble.

"Walk with me to the infirmary, we'll talk on the way." He fell in step with the larger man.

"So, what's wrong with Sam?"

"We're not sure. That's the problem." George responded. Jacob didn't even notice the personnel scattering against the two Generals, like waves breaking against the bow of a ship, as they bounded down the halls, just barely able to be considered walking.

"What do you mean you're not sure?" The elevator was empty save for the two of them as they made their way up to the infirmary level. Anyone else who had thought to use it had been scared off by the serious looks on the generals' faces.

"Well, there's no easy way to say this, Jacob. Major Carter's been turned into a symbiote."

Even Selmak was taken aback by the statement. "What?"

"On their latest mission SG-1 came in contact with some sort of device. Subsequently, Major Carter was transformed into a symbiote and is now inside Doctor Jackson."

*Do not allow this news to distract us, Jacob. There is obviously more to the story than has yet been told.** Selmak warned, sensing the man's agitation.

"And there's another problem." Jacob concluded. It was only Selmak's guidance that allowed him to maintain some semblance of calm, and not get stuck on what had happened to Sam. He focussed on the problem at hand, though neither was sure what that was yet.

"All we really know is that she's in a lot of pain." Hammond stated gravely.

//You know what this is?// Jacob asked, feeling Selmak jump slightly.

**I may. If I am right then we must act quickly.** a feeling of foreboding wafted from her.

Jacob's head bowed and Selmak retook control. "I will do what I can to help Samantha."

The rest of the walk to the infirmary was done in silence. Well, as far as George was concerned at least.

//I can't believe this.//

**Please, we must not dwell on such things now. Be calm, we cannot afford distractions.** That was enough to silence Jacob, but only because his daughter depended on it.

Selmak burst through the infirmary doors without slowing, and made her way to the back of the infirmary where the cries of a symbiote were emanating.

//No!// the obvious agony ripped through him, and at the moment he didn't even think about the fact that the sounds were wrong and the body was Daniel's. She was hurting, and by all that Selmak had imparted to him was in very serious danger, and they had to stop it.

"Samantha." Selmak began, but received no other response than the pained cries that reverberated off of the walls.

"Major Carter, Selmak is here to help you. You must listen." Teal'c stroked her forehead to gain her attention.

Her eyes popped open, red rimmed and desperate. "Dad?"

"Your father and I have come as soon as possible. We must work quickly, describe to me your pain." Selmak soothed.

"It hurts so much, please, make it stop!" Selmak had to silence Jacob when tears began to run down her face, obviously not for the first time.

"You must tell me where it hurts, time is essential."

"Middle... hurts." Sam's face screwed up against a particularly painful moment.

**It is as I feared.** Selmak informed him. It was a situation that any symbiote would never allow themselves to reach, as it was very dangerous. Only certain, and very rare, illnesses could cause such a thing. Or, in Sam's case, not knowing what to do.

"I will attempt to explain this to the best of my ability. A symbiote's body creates wastes like any other creature. These toxins will build up to dangerous levels unless the body is purged. It is a process that I understand is most complex compared to many other species. A symbiote, of course, finds no trouble in this. But as Samantha was not born one, I assume she doesn't know what to do."

//You mean to say that her bladder is full and she needs to release it?// Jacob tried to compare it to something he knew, any humor or disgust the analogy would normally give him was gone, the situation was too serious for such thoughts.

**It is similar. Like with humans the act is so trivial as to be almost purely unconscious. For that reason explaining it will be difficult and I will require your assistance for certain terms.**

"What must be done?" Teal'c asked.

"Samantha, can you feel the organ that causes you pain?" her head nodded slowly in response. "I believe the trick in this is that you must do many things simultaneously to begin the purge. If you feel you should find 3... valves that seal the holding pouch. Do you feel them?"

"Yes." She replied after a shallow breath.

"Good. They must be opened in tandem. I am unsure how to describe this action, as it is something that a symbiote would never ponder on, but you must try."

Sam's eyes scrunched shut in reply. Her ragged breathing filled the room.

"Concentrate." Selmak encouraged.

//Come on, Sam, you can do it.// Jacob added, though she couldn't hear him.

Teal'c seemed to convey strength to her through their tightly clasped hands. It was several minutes before her features relaxed.

//Did she do it?//

**Yes, she will be fine.** Selmak assured.

"Sam?" Jacob asked when Selmak stepped back, taking up her other hand.

"Dad." She offered him a tired smile and gripped his hand weakly.

**Do not be worried, all she needs is some rest.**

"How you feeling?"

"Much better. Tired."

"Selmak says you'll be just fine. Just make sure you don't let it get to that stage again. You rest and we'll talk more later." He settled for giving her a warm smile, the fact that she was inside Doctor Jackson just coming to mind. He didn't feel too comfortable hugging another man.

**You humans; so self-conscious with your emotions.**

//Hey, just because Saroosh was so 'free' doesn't mean I will be.// Now that the danger was over, the relief was making him feel giddy.

**That is true, but I also found Saroosh to be far more entertaining to be with.** Selmak joked back.

//Don't make me turn this car around, young lady.//

Selmak chuckled. **I have not been called a young lady in many centuries.**

*

"So, she's going to be ok?" Jack asked. He still hadn't been to the infirmary, rather he was sworn against it... it had been made very clear that he was not wanted there. Still, it didn't stop him from wondering, even if thinking about the rejection did make him angry. Of course, he admitted to himself, he had no reason to be angry. It WAS his fault.

"Just fine, why don't you see for yourself." Jacob replied from the other side of the briefing table, unaware of the other man's thoughts.

"Does Selmak know anything about the race that apparently built this device?" Hammond asked.

"No. The Tok'ra were never aware of such a place existing before now." Jacob told him.

"And you don't know any way to reverse the process." Jack supplied.

"I wish we did. After I talk with Sam I'm going to go back to the Tok'ra and see if we can't figure anything out. You will let me know if anything happens, right George?" Jacob asked.

"Of course." The General assured him.

*

Sam laid on the infirmary bed staring at the wall in front of her. She didn't know how to feel at this point. Even her father had seemed a little uncomfortable around her, not making much physical contact... not that they had been big on that before.

//Anyone would be thrown for a loop by this. You know it doesn't mean anything. Probably had more to do with me than you.// Daniel stated in an amused tone.

She had to smile at the thought Daniel conjured up: her dad's nervous expression as he hugged Daniel, and quickly took it back. Her father definitely wasn't that type of guy, so the fact that he hadn't done it was understandable.

//Bet Selmak had her hands full just then.// he continued in jest, preferring her smiles to the dour mood she had only moments ago.

She appreciated his efforts, but was in a more contemplative mode at the moment. They could have died, from what her father had told her when she asked, Daniel wouldn't have survived either. This new insight she had into a symbiote's workings had her more depressed than ever, she figured the more she knew the longer this arrangement would be fore. Perhaps even for the rest of her life, something she didn't want for either her or Daniel. She had to wonder if this was how she'd be forced to spend the rest of her days.

TBC


	2. Echoes of the Past

Title: Legacy of the Xel'naga: Echoes of the Past

Author: Confushi Sushi

Email: confushi_

Rating: PG13 (mild violence, some swearing)

Spoilers: 202 ITLOD, can't think of any other specific ones

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst

Pairing(s): VERY slight Daniel/Janet reference

Season: Some time between beginning of 3 and somewhere in 4, might become more specific as story goes on.

Summary: On a planet that could hold the secret, SG-1 encounters trouble.

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back I swear.

A/N: FINALLY, it's done. Sorry for the long wait, but I had some very serious things slam me in the face these few weeks. But here I am, back in action. Hopefully, further parts shouldn't take so long. A tiny detail I forgot to mention (please don't sue me anyone!!!), that the name Xel'naga isn't original. Star Craft players know what I'm talking about. But, I'm only using the name, these are not the same guys from the game. Sorry that I forgot to mention this, especially to those at Blizzard, I LOVE YOUR GAMES (again, please don't sue ;-P)! Would LOVE to hear what you think about this piece. PLEASE!!!! Huge thanx and lots of love to Kalliope for the beta. You're the WOman! Once again, any mistakes continue to belong to me.

*

Sam was bored. Yet again. Daniel, however, was blissfully asleep. If only she could join him in that simple act. But she was wide-awake, and would be so for about another day. One thing they figured out early on was that a symbiote didn't require nearly as much sleep as a human. In the past two weeks she had only slept 5 nights.

All that time awake had allowed Sam a more bystander role in some of Daniel's dreams. There was only so much she could ignore with their minds so merged. As such, she had seen some very interesting things. Daniel had a few very strange dreams. There had been one about this styrofoam artifact that hopped away and said 'zeeky-booky-dook' whenever he tried to approach. Sam had to wonder if this was a common occurrence for him, or a weird sort of way for him to deal with recent events. How a crazy artifact could do that, she had no idea, but she wasn't a psychologist. And she hadn't brought it up to him, she didn't know if she could without breaking out in hysterical laughter, mental or otherwise.

She also had plenty of time to think, since she couldn't move around and do much of anything, not wanting to wake up Daniel. Too much time, in her opinion. She had thought about what had happened to her so much that she didn't know how to feel about it anymore. The shock had worn off, to be replaced with a sort of numbness. It was as it was, seemed to be how she now thought of it.

Sam was fine, as long as she didn't dwell on her physical appearance. The true one, that is. Imagining the subtle facets of her symbiote body, a term she could think without a second thought now, was still a bit much. The image of herself as she was, with all the various accoutrements: fins that were all but vestigial, various tendrils and filaments that came from pouches around her mouth, and four fangs that were larger and more menacing than she'd like to ponder, repulsed her to no end. To actually consciously think about herself looking like that was... disturbing to say the least.

So, she tried very hard not to dwell. Not that she could block it out all the time, especially when there was little else to do, like when Daniel was asleep and she wasn't.

In this time of forced incarceration in Daniel's motionless body, her thoughts had not been limited to just pondering about what she was now. Sam was sure that she'd have gone crazy already if that were true. Especially in the beginning, she'd tried hard NOT to think about it. As such, she had gone over a lot of mathematical equations in her head; she even figured out how to modify the dialing program to increase the locking speed. But, that was also getting old. She needed something else to think about.

What she REALLY needed was to move.

As if on cue, Sam felt Daniel beginning to stir. This was her least favorite moment. She absolutely hated it. Whenever she was already awake, when he woke up himself there would invariably be a moment of confusion. Daniel would forget, though only for the briefest instant, exactly what was going on. There would be a second of sheer panic, as all he would know was that something was in his head. It hurt to know that she could be mistaken as a Goa'uld, that such a thing was possible, even for such a brief amount of time. At least when they both woke up at the same time, which seemed to happen whenever they were both asleep, they'd share in that moment of confusion, lessening its impact.

Daniel's mind slowly turned over. Sam waited for his still-groggy brain to catch up, bracing herself against what she knew would shortly follow. Just as it had been on so many other mornings, his muscles tensed and his mind was suddenly clear, the fear quickly driving the sleep from his brain. Almost as soon as it began, it was over, but the length didn't alter the discomfort it brought her.

"Sorry." Daniel spoke out sheepishly, stretching. Just as surely as it would happen, he would also feel guilty afterwards.

**It's ok.** Sam understood; she didn't blame him. It still didn't feel good, though.

He got out of the bed, thankfully still clothed from the night before. She still couldn't get used to that, either. During showers she tried desperately to distract herself, reciting lyrics to any song that she could think of, or anything that could keep her from 'looking,' or more aptly, paying attention.

They were friends. She didn't want to see him naked.

//You do know I'm not going to stop showering, right?// Daniel teased.

**I'm sure the world applauds your dedication.** Sam shot back, pleased that she was able to make so light of the situation now. The fact that she was even able to consider teasing or cracking a joke was a big step up. For now she had to live with the situation, so there was no use in being miserable all the time.

Then the physical clues of her second least favorite event began to show. Sadly, unlike the shower, there was no way to NOT do this, or to put it off.

//Guess it's...//

**You'd better hold that thought, if you know what's good for you.** Sam warned. It wasn't until you were inside of someone that you realized how utterly annoying they could be. If the Colonel only knew some of the thoughts Daniel had from time to time, he would be proud. That thought caused her to shudder.

//...time to 'drain the lizard.'// Sam mentally groaned. He had the gall to try and act innocent, as if he had done nothing wrong.

**The doe eyes don't work on me, remember?** she warned. Even before she could read his thoughts, Sam had been aware that Daniel was rarely as innocent as he might lead you to believe.

//I'm sorry, Sam, it's a fact of nature.// he defended.

**I doubt that nature calls it 'draining the lizard.' Now, would you just get it over with already?** Were she in control, she would have sighed in exasperation.

Even before he opened the door to the men's room, Sam was busily working to distract herself.

So didn't need to see this.

Wormhole physics. K over 2 sigma...

Nope, she wasn't going to think about it.

Add or subtract the speed of light constant? Add, yeah. Integrate energy over...

**Daniel!**

//What?// he questioned. Were she not privy to his thoughts, she might have believed he was truly ignorant of his actions. Of course, she knew exactly what he was thinking, so she was aware of what he was doing.

**I KNOW you did that on purpose.** And to think she had never imagined this side of him before. Whistling the theme to 'Loveboat.' That, in and of itself, may not seem so bad, but through their link she knew exactly what was meant by it. He was having way too much fun playing with her. Trying to get her to react.

And succeeding.

Daniel offered up a little apology, seeing that he was approaching her limit, and quickly finished up. She could also tell from his thoughts that his playfulness was supposedly for her own benefit. Especially in the very beginning, when she still hadn't quite gotten over what had happened, his playful teasing had been about the only time she had been able to ease up. But there was only so much she could take, and her end wasn't all that far off. Sam was grateful to finally get out of there.

At least the bathroom had been empty this time...

Daniel, in an attempt to change the subject, decided to finally realize that he was hungry. The thought made him just a little jealous as he remembered that Sam never had that problem anymore. She never got hungry herself, her body automatically absorbed what it needed from his. For his benefit, they made their way to the commissary.

It was her least favorite place on base. The commissary was almost always filled with people. Every one of which was aware of her current situation. The base grapevine worked annoyingly well on some situations. If they had to eat alone, she wouldn't even have considered going there. The stares she knew she would get from people, some curious and others downright accusatory, would have been too much. Airmen and civilians already did it when they walked down the halls, trying, quite unsuccessfully to make it look like they weren't. Of course, none of them ever said anything, realizing that there were several people on the base, the General included, who wouldn't tolerate such a thing. Not that they needed to say anything to get their message across.

They didn't know if they could still trust her. Probably some were still doubtful it was actually her.

Teal'c would be there, though. That thought eased Sam's nerves. He always ate with them, and with him around people tended not to stare, not wanting to incur the large man's wrath. It was a nice safeguard to have, as far as Sam was concerned. Otherwise, she wasn't sure she could handle it. Even with Daniel's ever-present company, she would still be acutely aware of everyone else.

He was waiting for them just as expected, sitting at a table near the wall. Daniel waved in acknowledgement as he went to the line. Another thing that Sam had learned early, though it wasn't really so much of a surprise, was that, as it was Daniel's body, it was Daniel's tastes she had as well. Some things tasted more or less what constituted as normal to her, like apples and more mundane items. Others she almost wouldn't even recognize as the same food if she didn't know. Blue jello, her favorite dessert on base, wasn't as good, though she wasn't quite sure how to explain the difference. It tasted pretty much the same, but just didn't appeal to her as it once had. It was too sweet. Funny how it tasted exactly the same, but just WASN'T. Coffee, of course, was becoming an addiction. If it had tasted this good to her, Sam knew she would have been hooked long ago, not that she hadn't enjoyed a cup or two in the morning.

After making their selection of eggs, sausage and a large coffee, Daniel went over to the table Teal'c was at.

"Good morning, Daniel Jackson, Major Carter." Teal'c greeted as he sat down.

"'Morning, Teal'c." Daniel replied before tucking into the food before him.

**God, don't choke on it.** Sam warned playfully as he seemed to all but inhale the meal.

//I'm starving here.// That's right, Sam remembered, they did miss dinner last night. Daniel had gotten wrapped up in a translation that, as they now shared thoughts, even she had been absorbed in. When he had finally looked up at the clock, he'd been too tired to do anything but collapse onto the bed.

As the three ate in companionable silence, Sam couldn't help but reflect on this ritualistic event, which no longer filled the table. It was just Teal'c and them, two bodies as far as any outsiders may be concerned. She couldn't remember the last time they had seen Him outside of mandatory briefings, which mostly consisted of reports on the Tok'ra's lack of progress on the problem, and their inability to contact the Asgard. Even then, He was evasive to unnecessary communication.

She and Daniel had both quickly stopped trying. Even the archaeologist was fed up with His behavior towards them, and had stopped trying to defend Him. Though not to the stage of avoiding His name like Sam was, Daniel was still less than pleased with Him.

"Is all well?" Teal'c inquired, apparently seeing something in Daniel's expression.

"Fine." He replied quickly, his eyes taking on a similar appearance to a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

**Yeah, that sounded believable.** Sam chastised.

"Something appears to be bothering you. Maybe I could be of some assistance to solve the problem."

"It's nothing, Teal'c." Daniel tried to sound calm and neutral, quickly finishing up the food before him. He grabbed what was left of the coffee and got up, not wanting to have to answer any questions their friend may bring up. Lamely, he excused himself. "I think we're going to get some work done now, since we're still confined to the base."

Teal'c simply inclined his head, his expression revealing that he knew it wasn't nothing. The difference from his normal appearance, just a slight softening around the eyes, would have been indistinguishable if they weren't so good at reading him. But he didn't press, so they didn't offer.

*

Paperwork. On a good day, he could completely avoid it. Spending two weeks on the base, however, meant that it couldn't be dodged for long. So, Jack sat before the computer screen, willing himself to type up one of the many waiting mission reports. Despite all the free time, he couldn't get his head to cooperate.

At first, the mission reports had just been an excuse. He figured that if he stayed in his office, he didn't have to worry about running into Them. The awkward moments, as they quite purposely didn't talk to each other, he could live without. The distraction wasn't working according to plan. Whenever he entertained the idea of typing something up, he'd start thinking about Them.

Then he'd start to get angry.

Very angry.

He had been rejected, almost denied the chance of saying goodbye. Carter could have died, maybe even Daniel as well, and would have if Jacob hadn't responded so quickly. He had been very clearly shown his worth. Apparently all these years together had meant absolutely nothing.

He was also avoiding Teal'c. Why would they be perfectly fine with Teal'c, but so callous towards him? Were they really that angry with him about what had happened? Wouldn't they be more understanding? Even if he couldn't accept it from them, he had been expecting some sort of forgiveness. Because that's what they did, forgave people. So why not him? Jack hadn't thought Daniel nor Carter were capable of holding a grudge, except against the Gould, and that was understandable. Well, he had thought he knew a few things about them, but obviously had been very wrong.

Why the hell did she have to go and touch something? She knew better. Daniel was the one who couldn't keep his hands off of anything. That thought caused him to bang his fist on the unsuspecting keyboard, a previously undiscovered word appearing on the monitor before him.

'uihjk'

Jack couldn't help but study the newly formed word. Arabic, he concluded, for extremely pissed. Described him quite well.

Seeing that this report wouldn't give him the sanctuary he so craved, Jack decided to put his attention towards something else. He COULD leave the base, take a few days to go up to his cabin and fish, but for something held him back. It wasn't apparent to him what, and he didn't want to think about it as, inevitably, his thoughts would turn back towards Them. His mind probably thought that would be abandoning them, something he shouldn't give a damn about right now. Even so, it still stopped him. Needing to get out of the mountain, but with conventional means cut off, he went to Hammond's office.

The General, ironically enough, was working on the same thing that Jack had just given up, he noted from a glance through the window. After the quick knock, he waited for the gruff 'enter' before going inside.

"Colonel." Hammond acknowledged, setting down the report he had been reading.

"Sir." He replied, standing before the desk.

"Is there something I can do for you?"

"Well, yes, sir. You could put SG-1 back on rotation." Jack stated evenly. Sure, it meant he'd have to be around Them, but on a mission things were different. They'd all have their parts to play. Rolls he was certain they were all so good at that they could manage it without thinking. Hopefully there would be enough of a distraction off-world so that he could try to think about something other than this mess for a few moments.

"I don't think that's a good idea, son." The General replied solemnly, leaning forward over his desk, arms clasped before him.

"The doc hasn't found anything wrong with them. It's been two weeks, sir." Jack refuted, knowing that Hammond would know exactly who he was talking about.

"It's not their physical condition that's my main concern at this point."

He couldn't help the quirk in his brow at that statement. "Sir?"

"Jack, don't play dumb with me." Hammond sighed. "I don't know how covert you may think you're being, but you'd have to be blind not to see the hostility between you and Doctor Jackson and Major Carter."

"Hostility is a strong word." He informed the General in his usual playful manner. "The dynamic of the team is... off kilter right now, and I think the best way to get back into the swing of things is to go out and do what we do." Jack tried to assure the General.

"Off kilter?" he responded skeptically.

"Yes, sir. Off kilter. In the rough. Thrown for a loop. Turned upside down. Nothing that a good mission can't cure." He rocked back on his heels, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Jack." He stated wearily.

"General?"

"What do you take me for?" Hammond asked simply.

"Beg your pardon?"

"You really expect me to believe that?"

Damn, just how did he respond to that? He couldn't very well lie to the man. And telling the truth would mean that he'd be going nowhere. "Um..."

"There is more to this than being 'off kilter.'"

"With all due respect..." Jack began.

"Don't try to deny it. You've hardly said two words to them in these two weeks. I'm not sure who started it, and frankly, I don't give a damn. If you want to return to the active list, something is going to have to change." The firm stare Jack received was more than enough to tell him that he wasn't going to get anywhere by further arguing.

"Yes, sir." Jack responded with audible resentment, saluted smartly, and then made his way out of the office. He could hear the General's sigh accompany him out the door.

Since the General wasn't going to help, he decided to try and vent some steam in the gym.

*

If, by some miraculous reason, Hammond had missed the strain on his flagship team before, it was more than obvious now. He continued to look out of the still-open door of his office, trying to think of any way the previous discussion could have gone differently. Possible scenarios involving yelling and brig time came to mind, but nothing constructive.

Slumping heavily back into his seat, the General picked up the abandoned report on his office, fighting the urge to laugh at the idea of doing paperwork just then. It didn't become a general to act foolishly, but at that moment that was just what he wanted to do. A deep, over-exuberant laughter that couldn't be caused by anything positive.

SG-1 was coming apart, and he had no idea what could be done to change it.

*

Teal'c sat in the middle of his quarters, completing his kel'no'reem. As it had been since their return from the eventful mission, the state was difficult to attain. When he tried, his thoughts would wander to that moment by the statue.

The moment where he had failed in his duty.

This time though, his mind kept returning to the few words he had shared with Daniel Jackson and Major Carter that morning. It was obvious something was bothering them, and he had a pretty good clue what it was. Or who it was. O'Neill continued to act very stiffly around them, when he was around at all. In return they had adopted the same attitude towards him.

It was most regrettable, and he didn't see anything changing in the near future.

As finished with the session as he would be, Teal'c got up and began to extinguish the candles that he used for the ceremony. When that was done, he made his way to find Daniel Jackson and Major Carter. Having made it his personal duty to aid them in any way that may be required, he was rarely not around them. His guilt, mingling with the knowledge of how difficult this must be for them, had made it impossible for him to stay away. Knowing them as well as he did, as well as being around more often than not in these few weeks, he knew that they would either be in Daniel Jackson's office or Major Carter's lab.

He found them in her lab. Stopping in the doorway, he watched as she leaned over some device brought back by another team, back facing the entrance. Teal'c couldn't help the amusement that he felt at watching the archaeologist's body doing something that was very uncharacteristic of him. The position was not dissimilar to the one Daniel Jackson often took when pouring over some artifact, but the sounds of compartments being opened and fine connections toyed with made him very aware that this was not an artifact that he would usually fuss over.

"How long are you going to stand there?" the symbiote voice suddenly questioned. The sound didn't phase him one bit, he had served the Goa'uld most of his life and was more than used to the resonance. What had been difficult was attaching it to Major Carter. It had taken him a few days to get accustomed to her having that voice, but he'd hidden his discomfort from her during that time.

Even if she didn't hear him approach, she could still sense his own symbiote. Whether the machine automatically added the naquadah to one's makeup, or if it was there only because of her previous hosting, remained unclear. Taking the offer for what it was, he entered the room and stopped beside her. He just stood and watched as she worked on the dark gray, palm-sized cube in her hand. Tiny filaments, no wider than a strand of hair, were visible inside of compartments that had been opened, some darkly scored while others were completely split. "The device is damaged?"

"Yeah. Probably some sort of overload. I'm trying to repair all of these connections, but there are so many." To drive her point home, she opened up another side, revealing even more damaged wires. He took that to mean each side of the device had a similar compartment.

"Is there any indication as to its function?"

"Scans indicate a large crystal inside that can hold vast amounts of information. I think it's some sort of archive or database. Of course, I won't know for sure until I get it working."

Silence descended again as she use the tweezers to pluck out a wire that was completely blown, replacing it with a new connection. Teal'c simply watched as she attached the ends of the precut strand into the broken one's place.

Something about the scene was bugging him, but despite his excellent sight Teal'c had a hard time placing it. It wasn't the fact that it was Daniel Jackson's body doing Major Carter's work, though that was definitely strange enough on its own.

He realized that it was the glasses that were most out of place. They didn't fit the scene. It was seeing a host wearing glasses that had been bugging him. Teal'c knew that poor vision was something a symbiote could easily heal, but Major Carter had no idea how to do such a thing. It was a most unfortunate twist to this whole situation. Though she was now a symbiote, she had virtually no idea HOW to be one.

After several minutes of working, Major Carter put down the tweezers and cube, directing her attention to Teal'c.

"Ok, spill it." She stated calmly.

He understood the meaning, having learned much about Tau'ri speech in his time with them, but still he raised his eyebrow questioningly. Exactly what she wanted him to 'spill', he wasn't sure.

She elaborated when it was apparent he wasn't going to answer. "You've been around us a lot lately."

"I merely wish to be of assistance." He replied, hoping it would be enough to stall any further inquiry.

Her thoughtful look told him that wouldn't be so. "It's not your fault, you know."

"It is." To say he hadn't been expecting them to put it together would have been a lie. They weren't stupid, and after these years of working together could tell when something was bothering him. In fact, he would have been surprised if they didn't understand why he remained close at hand. What had happened was his fault, and no matter how much he desired the turnout to be different, they were all stuck with the result.

"Teal'c." She sighed deeply, the resonance seeming to fill the room. Her countenance was full of frustration. Major Carter wished him to think otherwise about his guilt.

"I should have been more diligent in my duties." Teal'c explained, trying to get her to understand.

"And I shouldn't have touched that statue. Do you blame me, too?"

"I do not." Teal'c instantly replied. Even before she had told him about her disconnected feeling at that moment, he didn't blame her. Major Carter was not in complete control. Even if she had been, he was the protector. HE should have done something.

"You were just as unsuspecting as I was. Unless you blame me, too, you can't blame yourself. I would rather that any idea of blame was forgotten, though." One thing Teal'c wasn't used to was the tone of a symbiote being so gentle. The Goa'uld never cared about anything but power, and he hadn't even heard a Tok'ra speak so softly before, though he was sure they were far more capable of it than their enemies.

They didn't want him to blame himself, their unanimity in this was certain. It wasn't that easy for Teal'c. He couldn't forgive himself so simply, even if Major Carter and Daniel Jackson could. Knowing that they wanted something from him before they would be satisfied, he thought of an appropriate response. "I will try."

Apparently, his reply was tolerable, and she graced him with a very Carter-ish smile. Even in Daniel Jackson's body the gesture couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

*

Daniel sighed in exasperation as he held out his arm automatically. The needle quickly found its mark and the blood was drawn. Having gone through this ritual so many times in the past two weeks, he found his body going through the motions without him thinking about it. It was almost the same feeling he got when he wasn't in control, a thought that caused him to chuckle to himself. The nurse gave him a questioning look, and then shrugged it off when an answer wasn't forthcoming.

**Watch it, if Janet thinks one of us is going insane we may NEVER get out of here.** Sam warned playfully.

//I don't know if she'll ever stop running these tests as it is.// It was a ritual they were both eager to end.

"So, how are you two feeling?" Janet asked as she entered the room, looking over a file.

"Same as the other times you've asked." He replied, hoping that Sam had missed the slight flutter in his chest at the unexpectedness of her voice, as he had not seen her enter. It would probably help if he didn't think about her not thinking about it...

**Why, Daniel.** Sam 'stated' coyly. Obviously she hadn't missed it.

//Come on, Sam.// he really didn't want to deal with this right now.

**Oh, no. You've had your fun. It's my turn.** Well, he should have known something like this was going to happen. Teasing her all those times HAD been fun, though.

//Sam...// Well, he could try and talk her out of it. Or beg. He wasn't above begging.

**Janet and Daniel sitting in a tree...**

He rolled his eyes at the old rhyme, not even noticing the stare that Janet fixed him with.

**K-I-S-S-I-N-G.**

"Sam." He sighed aloud. The raised eyebrow that Janet pulled off would have done Teal'c proud.

"Do I want to know?" she asked in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer.

"No." Daniel responded, just a bit too quickly.

**She DOESN'T know?** Sam wondered in shock, catching the little piece of information from his mind.

//And you're not going to tell her.// he warned, though he knew Sam would never do something like that. Just like he wouldn't do that sort of thing against her wishes.

**Well, it explains why you end up in the infirmary so often.** she joked.

By then, Janet had shaken her head and continued going over some of the test results.

He hadn't felt it before, they had only recently reached such comfort with their current position, but he quite literally felt how Sam did about Janet. A deep friendship that the two had gained after working at the SGC for all this time. Those feelings seemed to underlay his own about her; an infatuation, crush, or something more. He wasn't sure exactly what he felt, especially since he hadn't tried to pursue it at all. Her feelings were different, but no weaker than what he felt. He just never noticed before that he could actually feel it... that he DID actually feel it.

Sam realized the converse. Apparently, they had been too preoccupied to notice this until now.

**Well, the Tok'ra do say that a symbiote and host love as one.** It still was very weird, though, they both agreed. And apparently the feeling didn't have to be as strong as love, or love in the most traditional sense to work the same way.

//What sort of implications does this have on our sexuality?// Daniel had to wonder about that one. He was most definitely a guy, and she was most definitely not. Love interests would be very, VERY different. And then there was the act itself...

He could tell Sam was becoming uncomfortable with his current train of thought. Well, it was his turn again to push buttons. Some revenge was in order.

//Should we take turns? I wanna go first!// Daniel began. There WAS an airman up on level 14 that didn't look half bad. Maybe she'd be willing...

**Daniel!** Sam quickly warned. He imagined that if she could, her face would be red.

//Shall we call a truce then?// Daniel offered the peace, not really wanting to see what the next phase of this revenge thing might turn into.

**Fine. Can we change subjects now?**

"Well, that's everything. Nothing's wrong that I can tell." Janet informed them, oblivious to her good timing.

"We could have told you that, and saved you all this trouble." Whatever feelings he may have for her, he did only have so much blood and patience.

"I guess I should be thankful that I don't have to do this with Colonel O'Neill." Janet began, as he was the most notorious when it came to patience in the infirmary. At the sudden stiffening in Daniel's shoulders, though, she realized that topic was a touchy one. "I think that we won't need to do any more tests. Everything seems to be in order, as much as can be warranted for... this." She quickly continued. Janet probably didn't want to deal with them finally losing their patience, Daniel concluded as the reason she was letting them off.

"Thank god." Daniel couldn't help but sigh. Sam agreed wholeheartedly.

"I didn't realize I was such poor company." Janet joked, and Daniel blushed at her unintentional joke, which had Sam in hysterics. If she only knew. She was completely oblivious to any of their inner commentary, and was left to try and figure out why he was acting so strangely on her own.

He left the infirmary looking most uncomfortable, deciding, to Sam's dismay, that the translations he had been working on last night needed his attention. He made his way towards his office. Daniel had only made it a few steps when the klaxons started blaring.

"Unscheduled off-world activation." The traditional statement came over the intercom. It was probably just a team coming home early or something equally mundane, but the lack of any sort of action for several weeks had their collective curiosity piqued, so any thoughts of work were abandoned for the moment and they made their way towards the Gate Room.

"Medical team to the Gate Room!" Sargent Davis' voice echoed through the hall with obvious agitation. This only caused Daniel to run faster.

He flattened against the wall as the medical team caught up, pushing a gurney down the hall at a breakneck pace. When Janet and her team had passed them by, he continued after them.

**God, I hope everyone's all right.**

He agreed, wondering which team had gotten into trouble this time. When they reached the Gate Room, two bloody figures lying on the ramp were plainly visible. The other two team members were by no means as damaged as their companions, but their uniforms were noticeably torn and dirtied.

As they got closer, not only did groans of pain become more audible, but they were able to tell that one of the lieutenant's, neither could recall his name at the moment, legs was bent where no joint existed, and numerous lacerations appeared to adorn his body. Captain Tellers, as Sam supplied, was the other that looked worse for wear. He appeared to have sustained some sort of head injury. A large knot, still weeping blood, was plainly visible just above his temple.

"What happened?" Daniel asked as the medics prepared the two men for transport to the infirmary.

"Rockslide." Colonel Alder, the leader of SG-8, replied simply. The man was obviously more worried about the state of his team than any questions that Daniel might have about it, to which he couldn't blame the man.

**Maybe we should get out of the way.** Sam suggested, and he once again agreed. They left the Gate Room, dodging the working medics.

*

Hammond waited for SG-1 to enter the briefing room. He was by no means an expert on such things, but what SG-8 had described, the ones that were able to give a debriefing at the moment, sounded like something he had heard of before. The video footage had confirmed it for him.

Doctor Jackson, Major Carter and Teal'c were the first to arrive, all obviously not sure why they were called into SG-8's debriefing. Nothing was said though, as they took their seats. Hammond guessed that at the moment Jackson was in charge, as the man reached out to pour himself a cup of coffee.

He froze mid-sip when Colonel O'Neill entered the room. It didn't take him long to recover, suddenly finding the tabletop interesting, but it was more than long enough for the General to notice. To Jack's credit, probably after much mental preparation, he entered casually, offering those at the table a curt nod and a 'sir' to Hammond. The Colonel sat beside Alder, creating a distinct division at the table.

He definitely couldn't miss that.

"I've asked you to attend this debriefing because it seems that SG-8 stumbled across something that may be of considerable interest. Lieutenant Gale." Hammond prompted.

"Sir," the officer began a bit nervously, "Um, before we encountered the rockslide, we found a cave. Inside were scattered bones and writing along the walls."

"Since we're not a scientific team, we decided to take some video for the people back home to study. The cave was probably much larger, but a cave-in has blocked the rest off at some point." Alder finished.

At a signal from the General, the lights dimmed and a playback began on one of the monitors. The shaky picture didn't reveal much at first, the cave being dark except for the flashlights wielded by the various members of SG-8. Since the sound was muted, only two people in the room knew exactly what was being said, but as a flashlight pointed to something on the ground, the basic gesture was obvious to all. The camera swept over to follow the beam of the light, coming to rest on a very worn skeleton. Though the elements and time had done their bit to break apart the frame, there was enough left intact to determine one thing.

It wasn't human.

Fragments of four arms were just able to be made out. The General wasn't surprised to hear a suppressed gasp from one side of the table, knowing at that moment his assessment had been correct. A few more skeletons were found, scattered randomly and in different states of composition. Then the camera swept over some pieces of writing, flowing symbols that he had only seen once before.

The archaeologist responded almost breathlessly. "It's them."

"Well, WAS them." Jack shot back. The caustic tone was harsh, even for him. The members of SG-8 were taken aback by his statement, as well as the General and the others. Hammond gave Jack a warning glare.

Apparently, his previous words hadn't gotten through to the man.

"General, we HAVE to go back there." Daniel wasted no time in voicing. The General knew that 'we' referred to SG-1, Jackson specifically.

"Doctor Jackson, I thought you said that you couldn't translate this language without some sort of reference."

"Well, that's true, but we could find what we need there." The eager man rebutted.

"We didn't search the cave too thoroughly, not that we knew what to look for in the first place." Colonel Alder admitted.

The Doctor had given them a clean bill of health, but with the current interaction between the members of SG-1, Hammond was more than a little apprehensive to let the team off-world. "I'm not sure..."

"Sir, we're the only ones with any clue what we might be looking for, and Daniel's the best translator to have working on this." Everyone, save Teal'c, was shocked to suddenly hear the dual tones ringing around the room. Their jumps obviously rattled Major Carter, but she did well to hide that fact, only lowering her head slightly.

What she said was true. And sending an intermediary team would tie up resources that the Pentagon would no doubt deem excessive for the situation. Though reluctant to do so, it did seem the only option open to him. "Does this rockslide pose any complications?" Hammond had the presence of mind to ask. If he was going to send anyone back to that planet, he wanted to know if it was safe.

Jack looked as though he was about to say something, but ended up remaining silent. Whether he was thinking about trying to dissuade the General, or voice some sort of relief of finally being able to go out on a mission, couldn't be determined. The Colonel wouldn't let petty interests get in the way of duty though, or so Hammond hoped. They really didn't have a choice, and there was nothing untoward on the planet.

"I'm no geologist, sir, the area in the canyon could still be unstable. But the rockslide didn't block things up, the way was still passable." Alders supplied.

He considered the information for a moment. "Very well, SG-1, you have a go. Be ready to head out in two hours."

Hammond just hoped that this mission would somehow get his flagship team back into some semblance of companionship.

*

The atmosphere in the room was choking. Not a word was spoken as the three finished suiting up and readying their gear. Jack was just fine with that; he really wasn't interested in talking anyway. And if he did, no doubt there would be screaming involved more than actual words. He had noticed the General's precarious position, and knew that a confrontation would be detrimental in convincing Hammond that they should go out.

He sneaked a glance at Daniel, or was it Carter? That was one thing he hated, not knowing who he was dealing with at any moment. Whichever one it was, his jaw was tightly set and he went about his business very methodically. Obviously trying very hard not to look at Jack.

Despite himself, the tension was threatening to make him explode. If he remained in that room and the forced silence, Jack knew he would start a scene. So, deciding that his gear was ready, he clipped on his pack and made his way to the armory.

He waited several minutes in the Gate Room for the others to catch up with him. Unfortunately, time had not improved his mood much. Not looking at them, but trying not to make it obvious for the General's benefit, he decided that watching the 'gate dial out would be a safe distraction.

The process had never seemed to take so long before. Throughout the whole process, he was aware of Daniel, he actually had no idea which it was still, also working very hard not to look at him. Teal'c, well, he didn't want to think about Teal'c right then. Jack was on the edge enough as it was, bringing another match around the powder keg would have been a bad move.

The technician's voice hadn't even registered to him, and he really hadn't been paying attention to the 'gate before him, so the sudden burst of the activating wormhole came unexpectedly. He jumped slightly before collecting himself. Looking over, he saw Teal'c favoring him with an unpleasant expression.

Having to get away before he did something spectacularly stupid in front of the General, he waved to the control room and went with all haste, though he tried to make it look like he wasn't rushing, through the 'gate. It did occur to him that this mission may be spectacularly stupid in and of itself, given how worked up he was currently, but Jack trusted his Colonel training to pull him through with some of his sanity intact.

The Stargate was located in a wide, open field. Straight ahead a canyon seemed to suck the grasses into it, drawing the plain downwards. It was a beautiful landscape, or rather, would have been, were his mind not on other things at the time.

The slurping from behind him announced the arrival of the other members of his team. Yup, he realized, he had definitely had better ideas in his time.

"Carter," Jack called out, his voice hard, "take point." He figured since he had no idea which one was in control, he would decide for them.

He may have wanted to be around her the least, but it was an unquestionable fact that she was a better soldier than Daniel, especially since he wasn't one. By that point, Daniel had walked ahead of him, and he could tell it was Daniel because his head suddenly drooped, signaling the change of command.

"Yes, sir." Her voice was equally hard, which made the resonance all the more unsettling. He couldn't help the flinch, but since she was looking ahead she didn't see it. By the slight pause in her stride though, he guessed she must have somehow known what he did. It was far from Jack's first choice to be stuck behind Them, but he didn't know if he wanted to be in front of Them either.

"I'll take rear." Best not to be sandwiched in the middle, given how they were all feeling at the moment. He was definitely the odd man out.

Descending into the valley, there was only the sound of muffled steps on the crisp grass. The sun shining directly overhead was way out of character with the mood that was passing between the group below. The fact that the scene seemed to be mocking him just made Jack want to scream.

The walls of the canyon were relatively narrow at the bottom, only about 30 feet wide, and spreading out as they went up. When they reached the bottom of the trench the walls were about 100 feet tall, scraggly bushes and the odd root visible hanging onto the rough rocks. Jack tried to pay as much attention to the scenery as he could, forcing the other thoughts to the back of his mind.

Due to the many turns that the trench took, they couldn't see very far ahead. It was after one such bend that they came across the result of the rockslide that SG-8 had encountered. It was a small affair, as they had attested, the team having obviously been in just the wrong place at the wrong time. Traces of blood and a small shred of someone's BDU attested to the fact. Various sized rocks were scattered about the ground, but they didn't do anything to block up the way. Jack could only thank whatever power there was that they didn't have to waste time moving rocks.

Being on the planet any longer than ABSOLUTELY necessary was out of the question.

As it was, staring at Teal'c's back, he was getting some very interesting ideas. All of them ended with some sort of attack to the very large man, be it physical or verbal, and no doubt some serious injury to himself. He wasn't sure who he was more mad at right now, Carter or Teal'c. Daniel, he wasn't sure where to put him. Either helpless bystander or conspiratorial collaborator. There was no real way for him to tell whether the man was a part of the friction, or just happened to be caught up in it. Which was worse though, if he was involved, or just along for the ride?

When the cave finally came into view, the canyon coming to an abrupt halt, Jack was seriously considering taking a bite out of the jaffa's shoulder, and letting fate decide how that would end. He was just so angry. God, going on this mission had been such a HORRIBLE idea, he wondered what the hell he had been thinking. Well, he guessed hadn't been thinking would probably be a better description.

It was pretty funny in a way, nothing had happened and he was more high-strung than he could remember being on most eventful missions. He decided a pack of jaffa would be more pleasurable to deal with than this awkwardness and anger.

*

Teal'c was refraining from turning around and doing O'Neill serious bodily harm by only a thread. He could hear the stiffness in the man's footfalls, hear the tightness of his breathing. How Colonel O'Neill could maintain this distraction during a mission escaped him. Such behavior could only serve to expose them to more dangers. Only the fact that approaching the man about it could make them even more vulnerable stopped him.

Was he the only one that could see that O'Neill, Major Carter and Daniel Jackson were only succeeding in hurting each other with their current behavior?

Both sides had some blame in this, that much he knew. Even he had been drawn into this by O'Neill, gaining some sort of resentment from the man. The behavior that O'Neill took around him was strained. The problem was that neither side was willing to step forward and do anything about it. When they got back, he was determined to remedy this situation, once and for all. Right now though, wasn't the time for such things.

Major Carter switched on the light on her MP-5 and did a search of the opening of the cave. Teal'c shifted the staff weapon in his hand and cautiously followed her inside. The writing that had been discovered on the pyramid was scratched crudely into the walls, obviously by hand.

As the flashlights scanned for anything that the other team might have missed, they were wary of their steps, trying not to tread on the remnants of the aliens that had resided in the cave. The cave-in that SG-8 had mentioned was no more than 60 feet back. He wondered how large the cave had once been and just how many of these aliens had apparently taken refuge within, and from what. Did they naturally live in caves, or was there some other motive for them?

The mood had eased, or so it seemed now that they had other things to focus on, as they searched the cave. Teal'c spotted a narrow offshoot near the back. Pulling out his flashlight, he saw several rocks on the ground, perfectly round and about twice the size of a basketball. As he approached he saw that the stones were covered in writing, alternating lines of Goa'uld and the alien text, and were in fact made of some metal.

"Daniel Jackson!"

"What is it?" Major Carter questioned as she entered the room. He merely gestured at the spherical tablets setting upon the ground.

After looking them over for a few moments her head drooped. "Oh my god, this is it!" Daniel Jackson exclaimed.

"What is it?" O'Neill's voice rang from outside as he approached.

"Teal'c found something. If I'm right then these stones could be just what we need to decipher this language. I think they're kind of like the Rosetta Stones. Hopefully we can use the Goa'uld to translate the other text." Daniel Jackson explained, the moment making him forget the feud they were now in.

"Ah, ah!" O'Neill warned as he came into the room, the archaeologist's hand just reaching out towards a stone. Even Teal'c had to suppress a sigh.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"Should we really be touching?"

"Jack..." the archaeologist began.

"We've already learned the hard way that these guys are weird about things like that."

"So, how do you suggest we do this then?" he asked Colonel O'Neill, anger just creeping into his words.

"O'Neill..." Teal'c began, hoping to make the man see reason. They couldn't do much by just looking.

"Hashak kree!" the harsh call echoed through the cave, coming from outside.

"What the hell?" Colonel O'Neill returned. Cautiously, he peered around the corner, the cave being straight enough for him to see through the entrance. "Jaffa."

"Indeed." That much was obvious to the large man.

"Surrender now and exit the cave!" the same voice continued.

"Jack, we NEED to get this." Daniel informed with conviction, the reflected light from the flashlights more than enough to show the man's serious look.

O'Neill sighed. "Teal'c, come with me to see how long we can hold them off. Just record everything, we need to leave as soon as the opportunity comes up."

Teal'c followed O'Neill out of the offshoot, hiding behind various debris as they made their way to the front of the cave. He noted with dismay that the sun was already well on its way to falling beyond the horizon, back-lighting the jaffa who scurried around outside of the cave.

*

**What the hell are jaffa doing here?** Sam couldn't understand that, especially since SG-8 had seen nothing of them.

//I don't know.// Daniel responded absently as he finished taping one portion of a stone. Rolling it over proved to be quite a chore, as the stone was very solid. And, of course, when he finished this one, there'd be 6 more waiting for him.

"Can't we talk about this?" the Colonel's voice wafted back to them as he called out to the jaffa.

"Surrender now!" she took that as a no.

**Hurry!** her plea was punctuated by the sound of a staff blast connecting with the cave wall, the vibrations just reaching them. Return fire from an MP-5 and Teal'c's own staff were heard.

//I'm trying!// Well, she knew that, but couldn't help stating the obvious anyway. He just finished with one stone and began on the next.

"Sorry, surrender really doesn't work for me. How 'bout a truce? You go away and we won't hurt you." Came the caustic reply to the jaffa when the shots finally stopped.

Between taping with one hand, and holding a flashlight with the other, Daniel had his hands tied. The second stone was finally finished, and Sam would have screamed in frustration were she in control. The occasional sound of weapons-fire didn't make things any easier.

"Any day now would be nice!" the Colonel called back.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Daniel replied, rolling the third stone.

"Faster would be better!"

Daniel didn't bother to respond, Sam encouraging him to more speed. Not that he could go any faster than he was, but she couldn't help herself. 2 more stones, and the sounds outside were only getting worse.

Sam felt like dead weight. All she could do in her current state was pester Daniel, and that certainly wasn't constructive. He didn't bother to answer her thoughts, both understanding that she was just venting her frustration.

Finally he was finishing up the last stone.

"Finished!" he called out, quickly stuffing the camera into his pack.

"About time! Get your butt out here!"

Hefting his MP-5, Daniel poked his head out into the main area. A staff blast connected with the wall behind him, the chips of stone forcing him to turn his head aside. Despite their return fire, the jaffa were getting off a good number of shots into the cave.

**Hold it!** Sam advised, a staff blast ripping through the space that Daniel would have occupied had he not stopped short. After a collective breath, they sprinted towards the protection of a large rock.

//I think this is your specialty.// Daniel stated as he differed control. She was trained for this sort of thing. Usually archaeologists didn't have to worry about getting shot at, though that was definitely not the case working at the SGC.

Sam peered around the rock, trying to catch sight of where all of the jaffa were. Unfortunately, the sun had already disappeared, and the light was quickly fading. She couldn't make out much, especially when combined with the darkness of the cave.

After firing a few shots, hoping that her aim was true enough to at least cause some of the warriors to duck for cover, she ran towards the next outcropping she could use for protection. There was a flash visible out of the corner of her eye, and instinctively Sam curled up into a front roll.

It wasn't enough.

The force of the shot connected solidly with her side, pushing her over. At first she couldn't scream, all of the air knocked out of her lungs.

//Sam!// Daniel panicked as she just lay on the floor in the awkward position she had fallen in. It took a moment for the shock to wear off and the pain to really come to play.

"Major Carter?" Teal'c called back. She must have made more noise than she had thought.

Sam immediately cried out once she was able to force enough air into her lungs. She felt the tears beginning to run down her face, her pain filled exclamations echoing in the cave. God, it hurt. Unable to do anything else, Sam remained curled up, groaning audibly.

//Almost forgot how much those things hurt.// Daniel mentally hissed as the pain enveloped them both.

**Really? God damn jaffa.** Sam managed to think between the throbs in her side. She could feel the blood starting to run down her back.

"Here." She groaned in reply, listening wondrously to the distorted echoes ringing throughout the cave. The heat of the blast surely had the wound mostly cauterized, but internally was certainly another matter.

Staff blasts continued to ring in the confined space.

//Can you move out of the way?// Daniel had a point, no need to get shot again. But it wasn't as easy as it sounded. With liberal moaning, she managed to roll herself onto her front. Sweat was already beading on her brow, and the pain shot from the wound to the rest of her body with each heartbeat.

"How bad is it?" the Colonel asked.

**Oh, yeah, NOW he cares.**

"Been better." She hissed, pulling herself towards the safety before her, the few short feet stretching into miles.

"Carter." He replied dryly, her answer not cutting it. Good to know he was still doing his job.

Right, details. She could do that. "Side. Probably internal bleeding."

Not to mention it hurt like hell, but he could figure that out by her tone and ample cursing, something she rarely did unless really angry or really hurt. Both were pretty fitting descriptions right now. They could have done without getting shot.

How she managed to drag herself behind the outcropping was beyond her, Sam hadn't been paying that much attention. Daniel was trying to encourage her through the pain, but she really didn't remember what he had been telling her, all attention focussed on moving. Thoroughly exhausted, she was panting heavily by the time she did get there. Each breath sent a new wave of pain through her body.

It was anything but good, that much she knew.

*

Wonderful. Great. Spectacular, even. This was so not good. Staff blasts were notorious for their severity. Even if it didn't look too bad on the outside, you could almost be certain something was screwed up deeper down.

There were at least four jaffa out there. Two people to guard the entrance were far from even numbers, but something had to be done about Daniel and Carter. Any aid they might give would be a moot point if they were overrun by jaffa.

It was all but impossible to track them, except when they fired. With the light gone, Jack had decided it was best to turn off their flashlights. Might as well not have giant 'shoot me' signs on their heads.

Suddenly, the staff blasts just stopped. He didn't know what was going on, but ceased firing as well, and so did Teal'c. Just what the hell were they doing out there? They must already know that they had the advantage, and there was no way they couldn't have heard Carter's cries. Why would they stop now?

Well, this was as good a time as any.

"Teal'c," he all but whispered, hoping to keep those outside ignorant of his plan, if it could be called that, "go back there and see what you can do for them."

It was dark, but he thought he could just make out Teal'c's head bowing slightly. The large man made it stealthily back to their position, Jack certain that the jaffa outside hadn't even seen him move. Glancing from around the rock, making certain to reveal as little of himself as possible, Jack tried to keep an eye on their hosts.

He wasn't able to see what Teal'c was up to, but the sounds filtered up to him.

"Major Carter?" he heard Teal'c's voice question. They hadn't heard any moans or other signs of life in a few minutes, which had Jack on edge. He really, REALLY, wanted to shoot something.

"Teal'c." she hitched. It may have been a whisper, but the unnatural resonance made the sound carry well.

Jack thought he saw a shadow move outside, but couldn't be sure if it was an enemy or a trick of his eyes.

"I must remove your jacket." Teal'c informed in a quiet voice. Jack heard the clips from the pack echo in the confines of the cave.

"Damn it!" She exclaimed as Teal'c did something. After several moments of shuffling, her voice came out in almost a sob, the hitching doing interesting things to the dual tones. "It's bad, isn't it?"

He couldn't make out Teal'c's response. "How is it?" he asked.

"The external bleeding is minimal." Jack didn't need Teal'c to finish. There had to be internal damage, but they couldn't do anything about that.

"Oww!" a decidedly non-symbiotic voice cried out.

"Daniel?" stupid question, but Jack was known for that sort of thing.

"Got it in one." He could imagine Daniel's gritted teeth as he spoke.

Ok, that was definitely not his imagination, Jack convinced himself as he saw another shadow duck behind a stone. And if he still had a basic idea of which stones the jaffa were hiding behind, the numbers didn't add up. Oh yeah, this was shaping up to be a wonderful evening.

"Looks like we got more company." He called back, just loud enough for them to hear, and hopefully for the jaffa not to.

"You must not fall asleep." Teal'c's voice advised. For cryin' out loud!

"Can't Carter do something?" He knew the answer already, and it only made him angrier.

"She doesn't know how." Daniel's voice was faint, far too quiet for his liking. Of course she didn't know. And defeating the jaffa outside was something he wasn't going to hold his breath for. So, either they were going to come storming in and probably kill them, or Daniel was just going to bleed to death during the standoff.

Carter not knowing what to do seemed like such a lame excuse.

This would be the second time her ignorance would have the potential to result in death. Even if her limited knowledge was justified, he couldn't help but be unreasonably pissed. How dare these jaffa come out of nowhere and threaten his team? How dare those stupid aliens make that god damn pyramid? How dare Daniel and Carter put him in this position?

How dare she not know what to do?

It was just so easy to blame her right now. She had had a snake in her head, shouldn't she know these things? How could she just drag Daniel down with her, couldn't she do SOMETHING? God, how he hated her right now. And hated the fact that he had no real reason to hate her.

*

Daniel found it increasingly hard to keep his eyes open. Teal'c would occasionally call his name and lightly shake his shoulder to get his attention, but still Daniel felt himself losing the battle.

**Damn it damn it damn it!** Sam cursed over and over again in his head, trying to think of SOMETHING. She was so frantic as to be oblivious to the pain.

//It's ok, Sam.// Even in his precarious state, he knew that line was very lame.

**Ok? You're dying, and that's all right?** Well it wasn't, but at the moment there didn't seem to be anything to do about it.

"Daniel Jackson." Oh yeah, he had to keep his eyes open. It would be easier if someone hadn't tied lead weights to them...

He could feel Sam desperately trying to get her memories to cooperate. Unsuccessfully, he noted with nervous amusement. That definitely wasn't good, the blood loss was making Daniel giddy.

Sam had never been able to consciously retrieve a memory before. They had only come to her at will in the past, and it didn't seem to be about to change. Daniel could only watch her frustration grow as she tried to get SOMETHING to come to her, but to no avail.

//This isn't your fault.// he may be dying, but he refused to let her heap the blame on herself.

**First I get you shot. Then I can't do a thing about it.** he could feel her mentally pacing as she responded.

//Knowing my luck, if I were in control I would have run face first into it.// he rebutted.

"Daniel Jackson, you must remain conscious." He didn't even remember closing his eyes.

"'mawake." Wow, making those unwords had been harder than he expected, almost as hard as actually opening his eyes again.

Well, there was one good thing coming out of this, it didn't nearly hurt as much anymore. Actually that was bad, but he really couldn't be bothered to care at the moment.

**Daniel! Open your eyes.** Didn't he just do that?

"Daniel Jackson." When did Teal'c get so far away?

//I can't.// Opening his eyes was SO out of the question right then. Couldn't do it.

**Damn it, Jolinar!** Jolinar was dead, wasn't she? Why was Sam cursing at her?

Nothing was making any sense to him. He just felt too tired.

*

Teal'c shook Daniel's shoulder as firmly as he dared, but still received no response.

"Daniel Jackson, you must wake up." He didn't know what else to do. No matter what he tried to wake the man, it didn't work.

"Teal'c?" O'Neill questioned.

"He is no longer responding." The whispered curse was easily audible, especially with his acute senses thanks to his symbiote. Teal'c didn't even try to stop the deep growl that escaped his own throat. Yet again he had failed to protect his friends.

For the last time.

The only thing left to do now was make sure that the jaffa paid for their crime. With stealth and speed that wouldn't be attributed to his large frame, Teal'c made his way back to the front of the cave. He could just make out faint outlines of armor and weapons poking from behind various rocks. Unfortunately, none of the warriors had placed themselves in an open position.

As the standoff continued, Teal'c couldn't help but feel his rage at O'Neill build. He could see that the man's face echoed his own sentiments, but he still had to say something.

"You should have taken action to stop the division before this point." Despite who the fault remained with, and Teal'c knew that it was more than one person, it was the commander's responsibility to tend to his team.

"I know." The words were simple, calm, but Teal'c knew the turmoil that brewed behind them. O'Neill had lost any chance of making things right.

Teal'c fired at a new jaffa that rounded the corner, but the warrior was able to duck into cover and avoid the shot. Apparently, whatever the jaffa had been waiting for had arrived, and the air was soon full of the buzz and energy of countless blasts. They were hopelessly pinned down by the endless fire, unable to get off any accurate shots.

The diversion worked well, because Teal'c only noticed the grenade when it rolled to a stop beside him.

"O'Neill!" though he shouted, he doubted that his words could be heard over the din. He didn't have enough time to defend himself as the blinding light filled the cave.

*

Ow. Not the most articulate thought to ever run through his head, but all things considered, it was quite a feat. He had definitely felt better. At the moment he couldn't remember when, he only knew it to be true.

When he opened his eyes only to find the darkness didn't disappear, Jack wasn't as surprised as one might imagine. He had done this before. It wasn't pleasant, but he knew the drill.

Temporary blindness? Check.

Residual pain? Definitely had that.

Confusion? Yup.

Ok, he got one of them Gould flash-bang grenades in the face. They were... on a planet. Very helpful, he chided himself. Canyon. There, that was a little more specific. Rockslide. Wait, no, that was before. Cave. Bones. Balls of writing. Jaffa. Firefight. Carter had been hit. Or was it Daniel. He couldn't remember.

He couldn't care. Whichever one it had been, both were dead now.

God damn it! He wanted to yell, shout, and generally curse at anything in the general vicinity. Jack did have enough presence of mind to stop himself, though; he still had no idea where he was. A prisoner, no doubt, but after that he had no clue. It was hard for him to find a reason to care. What did it matter to him? After all, Carter and Daniel were dead, and they hadn't been under the best of terms with each other.

Why did things become so clear when you could no longer do anything about it? He had been such an ass. Yes, he could admit it to himself, and was actually hard pressed not to. A big, giant, SOB, stick-up-the-butt, ass.

'Just a little late for that, don't you think?' Jack's mental voice was laced with sarcasm. He would have told himself to shut up, but he couldn't bring himself to. As far as he was concerned he deserved the harsh words.

They had tried to talk to him, he realized that now, but by then he was so wrapped up in anger that he had chosen not to see it. It was only natural that eventually they had stopped trying.

"Always the charmer, aren't you?" Jack asked himself under his breath.

"O'Neill?" Teal'c's voice instantly queried.

"Yeah. Blind and pissed, but here. Can you see?" He'd have to mourn some other time. Right now he had to think about getting them out of here.

"I cannot." Why not, with all the good luck they'd been having so far? Still, Teal'c had senses other than sight, and knew how to use them.

"Do we know anything about our situation so far?"

"I have not been conscious long, and have learned nothing in that time." The undertone of self-reproach was impossible to miss.

"It's not your fault, big guy." Jack sighed wearily. Funny how it only took the death of two of his team for him to become a philosopher. Or at least to see things more clearly.

"That is not true, O'Neill." Damn that jaffa stubbornness.

"There were too many of them for us to pin down, we can't help that one of them got off a lucky shot." He may deserve to be miserable, but Teal'c didn't.

"It is not only that event of which I speak." Oh yeah, he did blame himself for pretty much everything. Jack had forgotten that. Yeah, he had done a WONDERFUL job as team commander.

"For crying out loud, Teal'c! NOTHING was your fault. I figured Carter or Daniel would have tried to tell you that by now."

"They did indeed..." Teal'c's voice seemed to leave him, and to Jack it sounded like he had been sucker-punched in the gut, such was the sudden exhale he let out.

"T?" instinctively, Jack pulled himself into a sitting position, ignoring the swimming feeling that assailed him. He focussed his attention in the direction Teal'c's voice had been coming from, not sure what to make of it.

There wasn't an immediate answer. He was really worried now. Had he been attacked?

"Telak seol." Teal'c finally whispered in amazement. Jack, of course, had no idea what he had said.

"What is it?" he prompted.

"Daniel Jackson..." he heard the jaffa scuffle against the stone floor.

"What about Daniel?" Man, he really wished he could see right then.

After another long pause he finally got a response. "Daniel Jackson is alive. His pulse is weak, but it is there."

Alive, how? The wound was fatal. Only drastic measures could have saved them. "Sarcophagus?"

"No, the wound still remains, though it is diminished in size." Teal'c instantly replied.

Well, that made no sense. If their captor had healed Daniel then the wound would have been gone. Even a healing device would have gotten rid of most of the evidence.

Then it hit him. Jack couldn't help the immense pleasure as he figured out the answer all by himself. "Carter."

"So it would appear." Teal'c agreed.

Things were finally starting to look up.

*

Blue. Sam forced every bit of her conscious mind to focus on the color. It was light, ethereal, not unlike the ripples of a Stargate.

She quickly stomped out the tangent her mind was beginning on. If she lost focus, she was afraid she would never be able to reach it again.

It was hard to explain, but the color was a command. Well, at least it had translated to her mind as a color. As long as she thought it, various hormones were produced by her body and released into Daniel's bloodstream. They greatly increased the potency of his own body's defenses. The internal damage was being knitted back together, the bleeding all but stopped.

There were other, more specific forms of healing that a symbiote was capable of that would require less energy, she knew instinctively, but her memory had seen fit to show her this solution. She was hardly in a position to argue. It was used when the damage was widespread, basically a symbiote's cure-all.

It had been what Jolinar had used on Rosha after their time on Naetu.

##

It was all Rosha could do to drag herself to the pilots chair on the Tel'tak. After taking a few needed moments to calm her breathing and still quaking muscles, she activated the ship and left Delmak's surface as quickly as the engines would allow.

Death Gliders were launching from the surface, but the cargo ship was almost far enough from the planet to activate hyperlaunch.

She set a course for one of the Tok'ra's outpost worlds, one where only a few operatives stayed to render aid to those who had to flee, like she was now. There was no point in giving Sokar the direction to the planet they were currently using as their main base. When the sensors indicated that she was a safe distance away, she opened the window into hyperspace.

**Now, you need to rest.** Jolinar advised.

//And what did you think I would do?// Rosha wondered idly as she rose from the chair, confident that the ship's auto-pilot would take them where they wanted to go without further interference. She was going to go to the rear compartment where the sleeping pallets were, but her body had other ideas. Rosha had barely taken 2 steps before her legs gave out beneath her.

Deciding that she could sleep just as well where she was as she could in one of the simple beds on the ship, she didn't bother attempting to get up. Her point was made when she drifted off almost immediately.

Jolinar couldn't help the mental sigh of relief. Finally she wasn't preoccupied with their escape from that wretched moon anymore. Rosha was badly hurt, more so than the woman had been willing to admit to herself. Now she had the time she needed to effect the necessary repairs.

The damage, as severe as it was, required a consuming healing method. It would take all of her concentration and energy, which is why she had been loath to do it earlier. Eluding Sokar's forces didn't allow for such distractions.

Doing so now would leave them to fate, hoping that allies would get to them first. She would be busy fixing her host, and Rosha was in no condition to look after them either. But there was little else she could do, and letting the damage fester would only worsen the situation. Besides, it was far safer to heal Rosha now than it would have been while they were in Sokar's palace.

##

Thankfully, the Tok'ra had been the first to stumble across them.

But Sam had ignored that part, it was irrelevant. Instead, she focussed on Jolinar's thoughts and actions at that time. She had seen that color blue, and instantly recognized it's meaning.

She had thought of nothing else since.

She didn't know how much longer she could keep it up, her body was screaming for rest. Nor did she know how much longer she needed to. Daniel had been in bad shape, even now his mind was silent, and she didn't know whether to be thankful for the lack of distraction, or to worry for the possible implications.

Using every last bit of strength she possessed, Sam continued until her body failed her, and she passed out.

*

It seemed that Major Carter would never cease to amaze him. She had pulled Daniel Jackson's body from the brink of death. In the cave their situation couldn't have been any more dire. They had assumed them both dead, or soon to be.

He had felt their presence, but had shrugged it off as another guard. As he was only a jaffa and not a host, Teal'c's perceptions of other symbiotes wasn't as fine tuned as the Goa'uld's, so making such distinctions was not always simple. The fact that there were several jaffa nearby had only served to confuse his sense.

Teal'c was so caught up in his own musings, he almost didn't notice O'Neill making his way over. The man was crawling on hands and knees as Teal'c had, so the shuffling alerted him.

"Your vision has returned."

"Not all of it. Everything's still a bit hazy." The Colonel replied.

When Teal'c watched the man groping at the ground, he could see that it was true.

"They're ok, right?" O'Neill continued.

"They are alive." Teal'c stated, because that was all he knew. Their condition was still far from comforting.

O'Neill's hand tentatively came to rest on Daniel Jackson's shoulder, having to feel the life flowing through the body for himself. "Boy, was I stupid."

"Yes," He didn't need elaboration to know what O'Neill was talking about, "but you have been given another chance. One that should not be wasted."

"Yeah, I know." His tone was very determined, to which Teal'c could only nod.

Long moments of silence went by as the two simply watched Daniel Jackson's unconscious form. Both were intently surveying every rise and fall of his chest. The small room offered them little else to pass their time with.

"So, we have no idea where we are, who took us, or what they want?" O'Neill finally asked.

"That is correct." They were completely in the dark, as the Tau'ri would say. The pun of the phrase was not lost on Teal'c. Though their vision had already returned, they were still as clueless as they had been in the cave, if not even more so. At least in the cave they had known where they were, and had had weapons.

Their packs and equipment were missing, including their flak vests. Even O'Neill's boot-knife had been taken.

Now all they knew was this dimly lit, gray-hued room. The light filtered from some indistinguishable source in the ceiling. It was a good-sized cell for three people, and appeared to be well constructed. Teal'c could barely make out the door, it fit almost seamlessly with the rest of the wall.

Teal'c hadn't even had a chance to see the tattoo of the jaffa that had attacked them, not that it would necessarily mean he could identify the Goa'uld that they served. There were plenty of minor Goa'uld that he had never heard of before. For some reason, he didn't think it was a System Lord that had taken them, the operation seemed too small for one of them, but he had no real proof for that assessment, just instinct.

A low moan quickly brought their attention back to the unconscious man before them. His head turned slightly and the moans became louder. Teal'c noted that there was no resonance in the sound, Daniel Jackson was the one in control.

"That's it, wakey wakey." O'Neill encouraged.

"Jack?" Daniel literally croaked the word. His eyelids slowly blinked open as he spoke.

"The one and only. Now, if you ever do that to me again, I'll kill you." Teal'c resisted the urge to point out the futility in such an endeavor, as Daniel Jackson would already be dead if he did 'do that again.' He knew by now that it was just a quirky Tau'ri idiom, but sometimes couldn't help still playing the innocent Chulakian with no idea of the proper mechanics of modern English.

"Do what?" Daniel Jackson asked, confused. He was still out of it.

"Almost die on me. God Danny, I thought we'd been over this." O'Neill sighed.

Daniel Jackson just shook his head at that statement, the slight movement attesting to how weak he was. The point was further made when he tried to sit up, and immediately collapsed back on the ground, moaning against a new wave of pain.

Teal'c waited for the man to settle before speaking. "What is Major Carter's condition?"

The archaeologist's expression quickly turned to one of bewilderment. "I don't know."

"What do you mean, 'you don't know?'" O'Neill quickly asked.

"I mean, I know she's there, but I can't hear her. Maybe she's unconscious, but I've never been awake when she hasn't." he replied, obviously panicked.

"The damage you sustained was extensive. Major Carter may be recuperating from the demands that healing entails." Teal'c explained, though he knew about as much on the subject as the others. Goa'uld didn't tend to talk about mortal matters, as they were supposed to be gods.

"Probably." Daniel Jackson agreed.

*

Jack felt his chest tightening. He had never been good at this. Probably had to do with the fact that apologies tended to entail talking about emotions. It wasn't his style. Burying feelings had always been so much easier for him to do. He didn't talk about how he felt. If he did he'd probably still be married right now.

"Ah, Daniel." He stammered, mentally kicking himself. That was definitely how he wanted to sound. Lost and uncomfortable, how fitting of a commander. He did mention how good he was at this, didn't he?

"Jack." Daniel replied reservedly, giving Jack a questioning stare. He looked like he was preparing to get his ass chewed, for whatever reason. It might have been the case if Jack was still in the mood he had taken on with them before.

Yup, he really needed to do this.

"I... Ok, I'm no good at this. So, I'm just gonna say it. Here it goes. I... I realize I've been a complete ass these few weeks. I know I was giving you two a hard time..."

"Hard time?" Daniel interrupted incredulously.

"Ok, a really, REALLY hard time." Jack qualified. "Anyway, I realize all this now and just want to say I'm sorry." He exhaled, glad to have it over with.

A hiss cause all of their attentions to turn to the door, which slid open. Flickering torchlight from the hallway filtered in, brightening the room only a fraction. Five armed jaffa stood just outside.

Jack looked at the tattoo of the foremost. The black mark resembled the profile of a wolf's head.

"Recognize them?" he asked Teal'c.

"I do not." The man replied, already standing and preparing for trouble.

"Silence!" the lead one commanded. His eyes narrowed dangerously as his staff weapon came to bear. "You will hold your tongue."

Even Jack wasn't stupid enough to comment on that statement.

Nodding in satisfaction, the jaffa motioned with his weapon for them to come. Jack gave a look to Teal'c, who nodded in understanding. Each grabbed one of Daniel's arms, lifting him between them. With the previous warning to shut up, Jack settled on sympathetic expressions as Daniel held back groans of pain. Looping his arms around their shoulders, they dragged the archaeologist between them.

The hallway was long and winding. Gold reliefs, of which the Gould were all so fond, covered both walls. Jack couldn't read a word of what they said, but assumed it was the usual pompous rhetoric that they tended to spew. Even though they had seen it time and time again, Jack couldn't help but question it all. Why, when they so obviously had the technology, did the snakeheads insist upon using such archaic lighting? Jack knew the answer, for intimidation and appearances, but it all was just a bit overly dramatic for him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Daniel kept his head downcast and his eyes were scrunched shut. Looking at his pallor, Jack realized that the man must have been feeling a bit queasy. It probably wasn't the best thing to be moving him around so soon, but he doubted that their hosts would be understanding if he brought it up, and he wasn't about to leave Daniel and Carter alone, even if they had been given that option.

His musings were brought to a quick end as they finally got to the throne room. The big golden chair in the middle was impossible to miss, the ostentatious design jumping out at the eye. As with the rest of the facility that they had seen, the room was lit by several sconces, which left the inhabitant of the large dais just out of sight. All that could be made out were the rich red robes that the occupant wore.

"Stop." A reverberating voice, male, commanded calmly. They were still about 20 feet from the throne, the features of the Gould still obscured. "Kneel before your god."

The jaffa forced the team to their knees, Daniel unable to stifle the pained cry he let out at the sudden change in position.

"The prisoners, my lord." The jaffa who had spoken before informed, bowing respectfully.

"I am aware." The Gould replied, irritation creeping into the dual tones.

"Apologies, your worship." The warrior bowed again, deeper this time.

"Who is this that would dare trespass upon my territory?" The deep tones held amusement, and the Gould stood up. Jack still couldn't make anything out, though he squinted hard.

"Nobody, and if you just let us go, we'll be on our way." Jack responded in his usual sarcastic manner. He was certain they wouldn't be getting out of this that easily, but couldn't help returning to basics. Sarcasm, it's what he did so well.

"You will go nowhere unless I wish it. And be aware, I do not." The man stepped forward into the light, chuckling to himself. No matter how many times he heard it, a laughing snake still freaked Jack out. The tone was unnatural enough as it was, but having one laugh was just so much more unsettling. Especially when you knew they didn't care in the slightest about your wellbeing, except as to where it pertained to them getting what they wanted.

Jack bit back any reply he was going to make as he studied the Gould before him. He had short, black hair atop a chiseled face. The host looked to be no older than 25, but with a symbiote involved that most likely wasn't the case. The youthful features held an innate darkness to them. He wondered if the host had always looked like that, or if countless centuries under the control of a snake had irreparably changed his appearance. The red robes that he wore only seemed to add to the darkness, trimmed in gold and brushed against the floor. They just screamed 'over done evil poser' to him.

"You know, we've been through the 'big bad Gould' routine before. It's nothing special." He KNEW that he probably should keep his mouth shut, but Jack just couldn't help himself. Though he often couldn't be bothered to talk much, these sort of situations made it all but impossible for him to shut up. Danger caused him to babble.

"You will show respect to your god!" the jaffa was quick to backhand him across the face, no doubt trying to return to the Gould's favor. The corner of the gauntlet cut into Jack's cheek, causing blood to trickle down his face.

"And that's another thing. Just who are you?" Jack continued. Might as well get some information out of it if he was going to get beat up, he figured.

"Who am I? I am Terak, brother of Tralik, ruler of the Ringed Empire!" Terak proudly informed them, seeming to become larger as he spoke. He was a fairly impressive 6 feet and change.

"I have heard of the Ringed Empire. It used to be a formidable expanse, ruled by two Goa'uld. It has not existed for many centuries." Teal'c explained for Jack and Daniel's benefit.

"It exists still, though it is not the splendor that it once was. My brother was lost to me on his return from a battle with Sokar, somewhere around this very planet. His jaffa, the wretches that they were, abandoned me and merged with various System Lords. The Empire has dwindled to almost nothing, but it shall not be so forever." Terak's anger was increasing with each word.

"Oh, that old tune." Jack replied in mock understanding. "Just how do two Gould get together to rule without everything falling apart?" He so could NOT see that ever happening. Not without one killing the other, that is.

"My brother and I were of the same mind..." the Gould had started to walk towards them, and stopped walking and speaking about 5 feet away. "What is this?"

Terak walked closer, leaning in towards Daniel. "You! You are a host! I do not believe it. After this many years one has survived? Quickly, tell me the location of other survivors! Where are the creatures of this planet?" Terak demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Daniel asked weakly.

Terak's hand descended against Daniel's face, the tips of the ribbon device leaving red marks on his cheek. "Do not play fool with me!"

Jack and Teal'c were stopped from intervening by the hiss of multiple staff weapons priming.

"I can't tell you what I don't know, not that I would if I did." Daniel responded, narrowing his eyes at the Gould. Jack could see Terak's face getting red with anger.

"Do not insult me by allowing this thing to address me!"

Jack shuddered then, thankfully keeping it mostly mental. Carter was still out, wasn't she? It was kind of hard to talk when you were unconscious. Not a good situation. This guy was already on the edge as it was, and now things were only threatening to get worse. Just wonderful.

Daniel's body suddenly slumped down, catching both Jack and Teal'c by surprise. He pulled them down with him slightly before they were able to counterbalance. Jack figured he had passed out, until his head raised weakly. "No. I wouldn't insult him by making him interact with you."

That was definitely not Daniel. The words were faint, but the resonance was still audible, even though what Carter had said was difficult to understand. Apparently the healing really had wiped her out. She was unable to hold herself up, Jack and Teal'c the only thing keeping her from a less-than-graceful spill to the floor.

"A Tok'ra then." Terak concluded. "I had always figured that it was they who aided these people. The System Lord's would never ally themselves with an inferior race."

Carter looked like she was going to argue the fact that she wasn't Tok'ra. Whether she decided that the point was moot or realized it was a bad idea, he wasn't sure, but she held her tongue.

Terak, on the other hand, was brightening considerably. A Gould in a good mood tended to be far worse than an angry snake. Happy Gould's had something in mind.

"Well, then, my Tok'ra, you will begin by telling me of the fate of my brother."

She remained silent, leveling her gaze at Terak. There was no good answer, especially since none of them knew anything about what he asked. It was very obvious that he wasn't going to take 'I don't know' as a satisfactory response. No doubt anything she may decide to say on the matter would be the wrong thing.

"My brother's ship crashed on this planet, of this I am now certain. I have searched all nearby planets thoroughly and found no sign of him. He must be here. You will tell me what the inhabitants did with him, or where his body now resides!" Terak shouted when a reply wasn't forthcoming. The ruling thing Jack could almost wrap his head around, almost, but he didn't get why any Gould would care so much about the fate of another. He'd think that Terak would have been glad to have the competition eliminated for him.

Again, Carter remained silent. Terak's eyes flashed brilliantly as he turned away. "Return them to the cell. This impudence WILL be dealt with!"

*

Daniel had retaken control as soon as they were led out of the room. He didn't feel that great himself, but Sam didn't even have the strength left to keep her head up. How did that work, wouldn't they both be able to accomplish the same tasks since it was the same body?

**Guess that sending impulses to your muscles is a bit beyond me right now.** Even her mental voice sounded weary.

//You are alright, right?// He could read her thoughts, feel how she felt, so the question was redundant. But old habits were hard to break.

**Just tired, Daniel.** Sam assured.

Daniel almost didn't notice as Jack and Teal'c lowered him to the floor of the cell. With their help he was able to sit up against the far wall, perched in the corner. Teal'c sat nearby, his angle able to take in both he and the cell door, Daniel noticed. Jack however, was leaning against the opposite wall, looking rather uncomfortable.

"So, Teal'c, you seem to know something about this little empire the Gould spoke of." Jack began.

"I have heard of it." Teal'c affirmed.

"You said something about it not existing for a few hundred years?" Jack recalled.

"I did. It has shrunken into almost nothing since the defeat of Tralik at the hands of Sokar. Apophis would often mention the empire with much amusement, comparing its decline against his own power."

**Is he saying what I think he is?** Sam wondered, the astonishment erasing her fatigue momentarily.

"Teal'c, you mean to say that Terak's brother has been missing for hundreds of years now?" Daniel voiced Sam's conclusion.

Terak had been searching for him for that long?

"Yes." Daniel and Jack were both at a loss for words. This was definitely something unprecedented with the Goulds. To continue a fruitless search, especially for someone who was undoubtedly dead now, just didn't make sense.

"No way." Jack finally stated in disbelief.

"Why would he continue to look if he has no chance of finding his brother?" Daniel wondered aloud.

"Perhaps that is not so. He spoke of survivors on this planet." Teal'c reminded.

"I'm assuming he's talking about those red dudes." Jack said. They weren't sure whether all of them were red, but Daniel figured it was as good a description as any.

"He must believe that the aliens had something to do with his brother." Daniel added, suppressing a yawn.

"And now they're all dead." Jack stated bluntly.

**Guess we're not going to get help from them, assuming we get out of this mess.** Sam told him with noticeable grief. Daniel had to agree with her thoughts that the aliens probably wouldn't have written down a solution to their current situation. They'd surely need a living one to help them out.

He was quickly losing the battle for consciousness, Sam not far behind. Soon his eyes simply refused to remain open. It was with a bit of nervousness that Daniel realized how similar this situation was to the one in the cave, a thought he found very unsettling. This was the same sort of disjointed feeling that he had experienced. His body, however, would not be deterred from the rest it craved, continuing on its journey despite his apprehensive feelings. It was only just that he made out the sound of the door opening. Unfortunately, at that point voices had lost all meaning. Daniel was quickly asleep, wondering what had just happened on the fringe of his conscious mind.

*

Teal'c walked silently as the jaffa prodded him onward. He knew they weren't taking him to the throne room because they had gone in the wrong direction. One didn't have to serve as a First Prime for a good deal of their life to realize what was going to happen.

The interrogation was soon to begin.

Three jaffa escorted him down the hall, effectively undermining any ideas Teal'c may have harbored about escaping. Unless they were extremely inept, which as of yet their skills had been shown to be at least marginal, he couldn't hope to overpower three guards and break out the others. Teal'c diligently looked for his moment, though, even if it was unlikely to come.

They took him to a room that was even darker than the hallways or the throne room had been. Only 4 torches, one in each corner, provided lighting. Due to the moderate size of the room, the radiance did not penetrate to the core. Even in the very dim light, Terak's red robes were visible standing in the nexus of the shadows.

Teal'c was taken to the left wall, manacles glinting menacingly as they hung in the firelight. From what he could see the opposite wall was also similarly equipped, and he could only assume that the back wall was the same. The restraints were obviously meant for someone of a smaller stature, as Teal'c's arms only hung about halfway up.

"Tell me, what is a First Prime of Apophis doing associating with the likes of the Tok'ra?" Terak asked, his face mostly obscured as he stood in the center of the room. Teal'c had been present for more tortures than he cared to admit, so the intimidating pose didn't affect him. As for an answer, he wasn't sure if giving voice, even to refuse an answer, or remaining silent would be better. Though he simply wished to deny everything, he knew that anything he might say would give the Goa'uld more knowledge. Silence appeared to be the best option.

"If you answer all of my questions now, your deaths will be quick and painless. I may even see fit to spare you. But if you insist upon continuing in this insolent manner, the consequences will be great."

Teal'c couldn't help the smile that played his features. Terak was already showing his hand, getting his temper up. Very sloppy, Teal'c thought to himself. This Goa'uld had much to learn.

One of the jaffa stepped forward with a pain stick.

He knew he could take what was to come, but feared for his friends, especially Daniel Jackson and Major Carter. Would Terak actually try to torture them in their current condition? He knew they would tell him nothing, especially since there was nothing to tell, but if Terak was actually desperate enough to do anything with them, there was virtually no chance of their survival.

*

Jack stood up as the door to the cell was opened. The business end of a staff weapon assured that he didn't try anything, though. Teal'c's barely conscious body was tossed in unceremoniously, the three guards waiting at the door. Burn marks adorned his now bare chest, and dried streaks of blood marred his form. Jack really wanted to teach these jaffa and their master a thing or two, but there were too many of them, armed no less. And he had other people beside himself to think about.

He watched Teal'c's chest rise and fall, a slow but even rhythm. The big guy would be ok, his snake would see to that. Any escape plans, however, would be seriously impeded now. One injured teammate was bad enough, but at least before he and Teal'c could have carried Daniel and Sam. He'd have a hard enough time helping Teal'c get around, much less the both of them.

The bigger question on his mind at the moment was who would be next. Jack was truly worried. This Terak guy was pretty incensed about getting his information, creating a dangerous situation for all involved. Daniel's and, inclusively, Carter's condition was bad enough as it was, anything that this guy might have planned could be downright lethal. Did he have a sarcophagus? Somehow, Jack didn't think so. If he did, wouldn't he have used it on Daniel and Carter already?

But then again, when had they ever seen a Gould without one?

Jack looked over at Daniel, who was still out, and decided then that if these guys wanted to take the man, he would stop them. Or at least try to. Three armed jaffa were a bit much, even for him.

"You." The leader finally stated, pointing at Jack. Yup, this put a big crimp in getting out of here. Somehow, Jack figured that three wounded people having to lean on each other for support wouldn't get very far, though the picture it put in his head was quite comical. He could just see the three of them staggering down the dim halls, crashing against walls and torches with equal prejudice. Maybe they'd stand a chance, as the guards would die of laughter.

Better three wounded than one dead, he amended. Right now, staying alive was the priority. Escape would hopefully tend to itself.

Or maybe they'd be lucky enough to get a rescue. Yeah, SG-3, maybe SG-5 and 7 tagging along. A grenade here, strategically placed C-4 there, all the mixings needed for a good party. The mission time, however, hadn't been firmly set. Would the General try and contact them in one day or two? Just how long did they have to wait for rescue to even become viable?

The sizzle of a staff weapon opening brought Jack out of his musings. Having made the guards wait long enough, he quickly made his way out of the room, afraid of what might be done to the others if he tarried any longer. With a painful prod of a staff weapon at the small of his back, Jack was led down the corridor.

He was acutely aware of the excessive heat thrown from the torches, sweat pouring down his body as the metal on the walls bounced it back at him. This Terak guy really needed to look into central air, he decided.

They led him to the throne room, Terak standing on the edge of the dais that held his chair. He definitely looked less than happy. Two of the guards quickly stepped forward, grabbing Jack's arms. They dragged him up the rest of the way, stopping a scant few feet from the Gould.

"The jaffa was not cooperative. I hope you do not make the same mistake." Terak spoke, his tone lighter than the expression he wore, his mouth just a few degrees away from a snarl. The guy was a very unhappy camper, to which Jack couldn't help but give a mental 'go Teal'c.'

"You know that's not gonna happen. Even if we DID have anything to tell you, we wouldn't." A staff weapon hit the back of his knee with practiced skill. The only thing that stopped Jack from a very undignified face plant was the two jaffa holding him up. Damn, that hurt. Doc was going to be pissed when he got back.

"You are at my mercy, it would be best to remember that." Terak leaned in close, his voice all but a whisper, causing it to take on a gravelly quality.

Despite contrary opinion, Jack COULD learn from mistakes, if he wanted to, and stayed silent. Maybe if he played his cards right he could come out of this with at least one working knee.

"We will begin simply. How does a jaffa come into the company of a Tok'ra and a human?"

"Better pay. Benefits. We got this great dental plan, it even covers..." Jack's rant was cut short by a stinging backhand from Terak himself, the blow causing his previous wound to reopen, fresh blood oozing down his face.

"Where are other survivors on this planet?" Terak's voice picked up considerably, anger increasing along with the volume.

Ok, Jack could learn, but often he tended to choose not to. "Did I mention the vacations? Two weeks paid every year, and sick days too."

Instead of another blow, the Gould simply raised his hand, pointing the orange crystal of his ribbon device at Jack's head. Jack was able to watch the stone begin to glow before the energy began to burrow into his head. Before the pain became intense enough to block out other sensory input, Terak spoke with conviction. "You WILL tell me everything."

Not a chance, Jack replied mentally while he was still capable.

*

Sam had awoken before Daniel. It was odd, usually when they were both asleep they'd wake up at the same time. It may have had to do with the fact that it was more like passing out than falling asleep, but all she had was conjecture at this point. Was that normal? Right now, though, the answer to that particular question would have to wait. Exactly how long she waited for him to come to, without her watch or anything to tell her, she didn't know. She was sure it had been at least half an hour before he began to stir.

When Sam had opened her eyes, it was to see Teal'c laying on the floor. She tried to keep her movements to a minimum, hoping to allow Daniel the rest they both needed. It had taken her several moments to identify the rise and fall of his chest, several moments of apprehension as she had wondered whether or not he was dead. But the relief Sam had felt at that realization was dulled as she realized the Colonel wasn't in the room.

Daniel awoke groggy and confused. Whether it was natural, or from her stirring, she wasn't sure.

//What's going on?// he asked.

**The Colonel's gone and Teal'c's hurt.** She informed him.

Though she wanted to wake up Teal'c, to make sure he was ok and to see if he knew where they took Colonel O'Neill, she didn't know if it was such a good idea. Exactly how badly hurt he was she couldn't say, and was loath to interrupt any necessary healing he was undergoing.

But she'd really like to know exactly what was going on. Not that she couldn't hazard a fairly accurate guess as to the general idea. It wasn't like they had never been captured before.

Sam rolled over onto her good side, her wound and the taught muscles around it protesting the action. Gritting her teeth, with a couple choice exclamations from Daniel as he was still less than fully alert, she waited for the pain to subside a little bit along with the queasy feeling that was running through her stomach. She hadn't recalled shutting her eyes, but when she opened them up again Teal'c was staring back at her from his position on his front.

"Are you ok?" she asked softly, for some reason afraid to raise her voice to a normal level. The situation seemed to scream silence, not that it was really possible with the distortion in her voice to actually whisper. Well, she could, but the noise level would effectively defeat the purpose.

"My symbiote has already begun repairs." Teal'c responded simply. Not really what she asked for, but it was as close to 'I'm fine' as she was probably going to get. That he didn't say he was ok spoke volumes to her, he might be healing but was still a long ways from 100%.

"Where's the Colonel?" Sam's continued. From experience she was pretty sure that interrogation and torture awaited him wherever he was. It really wouldn't hurt her feelings if she was wrong.

//It would be nice, but I don't think so.// Daniel thought wryly. She didn't believe it either, but one could hope.

"I do not know for certain. It is most likely they are trying to get information from him that I refused to offer." What a nice euphemism for torture. From the fading burn marks on his bare chest and the dried rivulets of blood, she could guess just how pleasant that torture would be. "How is your wound?"

Aside from hurting like hell whenever one of them moved, thought about it, or ignored it for too long, it was ok. Ok being a very relative state. Of course that didn't mention how tired it made Daniel. Her fatigue mostly came from the previous healing. Though they shared the pain, the weakness was all in Daniel's body, another puzzle that would have to wait to be solved.

"Been better." Sam replied with a very O'Neill-esque phrase.

Which was when the door suddenly lifted open and a very unconscious Colonel was slung into the cell. Unlike Teal'c, he returned with the same amount of clothing that he had left with. The only sign of the torture he had been through was the angry burn mark in the middle of his forehead.

**Ribbon device.** Was Sam's first thought, and Daniel had to agree. Been there, done that, had the T-shirt.

The three jaffa wasted no time in entering the room. Sam was lying near the back wall, and quickly knew they were after her when they walked past Teal'c, who was sprawled near the middle of the room. She had been expecting it, but any doubts she may have had were expelled.

Two of them grabbed her by the arms, lifting her up without regard to her condition. Stifling the groan that attempted to issue from her lips, she looked at Teal'c. He obviously was not pleased about this, but did not say or do anything, knowing that any action he took now would do anything but help the situation. The third guard pointing his staff weapon at Teal'c's face probably had a lot to do with his inaction. Sam tried to give him a confident look as she was dragged out, but wasn't sure if she had sent the message she had intended.

Trying to keep some dignity, Sam tightly shut her eyes as she was pulled through the corridors. The motion threatened to empty her stomach, assuming there was anything left there. If she wasn't feeling so nauseous she'd be starving. Though it wasn't really she who was hungry, but rather Daniel's own hunger she felt. How long had it been since they ate?

//Thinking about it isn't helping matters.// Daniel informed her.

**You're right.** Aside from reinforcing how hungry he should be, it didn't do anything to settle her stomach.

//Well, if you must, make sure to aim for a face.// She couldn't help but laugh at that one, receiving an elbow in the side, and not her good one. Caught by surprise, she couldn't suppress the yelp, and she almost emptied her stomach right there. For Daniel's part, he was stunned momentarily by the pain.

**Bastard.** Damn, that hurt.

Thankfully they soon stopped, and when Sam opened her eyes she saw that they were in the throne room. Terak stood on the edge of the dais, an evil smile gracing his lips.

God, how she just wanted to rip that smile off his face and shove it down his throat. It was a look that promised no good, not that she had even considered kindness from him. He was too pleased with himself, especially since she knew that neither Teal'c nor the Colonel would have, or even could have, told him anything.

The fact that he didn't try to hide it was also bad.

"My Tok'ra." The joviality in his voice caused her to wince, Daniel sharing in her bad feeling. "Your kind has always amused me. To claim you are not Goa'uld, when it is power that we both seek, is a curious distinction. Trying to convince anyone of your 'noble' characters is laughable. At least the System Lords and myself are able to admit what we desire." He was trying to bait her, and sadly, she found herself rising to it.

"If that's what you really think, then I pity your ignorance." Sam smiled back as she spoke those words, only wishing that her voice wasn't so similar to his. Physically, there was no difference between a Goa'uld and a Tok'ra, but their principles were as contrasted as night and day. Being so similar to the enemy, and yet so different at the same time, wasn't the best foundation for such claims. Not to mention it scared her.

She just couldn't help envisioning herself becoming like him. Though she had settled this fear before, actually coming into contact with a Goa'uld had made her rethink. It may be unlikely, but not impossible.

Sam couldn't help but shudder at that thought.

"Well, it does not matter. If you tell me what I want to know, I will let you and your companions survive. If you do not, the consequences will be most unfortunate." Terak continued, oblivious to her thoughts.

**Deja vu?** Sam thought with a small bit of humor. The threat thing was old hat to them, certainly nothing new.

//Creative bad guys only lead to trouble.// Daniel warned. Not that the unoriginal ones were a cakewalk. Just because they had been through similar situations time and time again didn't make a pain stick or ribbon device hurt any less.

And, truth be told, you didn't have time to be bored when in that much pain.

"Threaten me all you want, it doesn't change a thing." Such as the fact that none of them had any clue as to where the planets inhabitants were or what had happened to his brother.

Probably both were long dead, especially if what they had already seen was anything to go by.

"You WILL tell me of my brother. And you WILL tell me of the heathens of this planet!" Terak's distorted voice echoed throughout the room. He walked forward until he was right in Sam's face. His next words were spoken calmly, his lips curving up ever so slightly. "It is simply up to you on how I get it."

//Ok, this is definitely going to get ugly.// It was obvious that something was up.

**Do you think he'd buy 'I don't know?'**

After several moments of silence, during which Sam did her best to level a hard stare at Terak, he spoke again. "Very well. We shall do this your way. You had a chance to stop any further harm from befalling anyone... Kree! Deta ni tanal!" His last words were addressed to a jaffa that stood at the door. Sam could hear his boots clattering as he ran off to do his masters bidding. Which, thanks to Daniel's knowledge of Goa'uld, they both understood all to well.

Bring the girl.

Sam couldn't help the shocked expression on her face. The evil smile quickly returned in response, growing even bigger than before.

**Girl? What's going on? What's he doing?** Sam was frantic.

//I don't know, but it can't be good.// Daniel was just as unnerved as she was. What did a girl have to do with anything? What was going to happen?

Moments later she heard the jaffa reenter. Sam craned her head to try and see, but her guards were in the way.

"Patience." Terak ordered in a playful tone. Fear, anger, and frustration were all warring inside of her. Just what the hell did this guy have planned?

He waved the jaffa over. As he came forward at his master's insistence, Sam caught sight of the girl, his gauntlet covered hand resting on her shoulder.

Long brown hair obscured her downcast face. A coarse dress of light earth tones came down below her knees. Sam noticed that her feet were bare. She was about 5'5", the short sleeves of her dress revealing slender arms. Aware of the scrutiny, the girl finally raised her head. Sam's heart stopped. Eyes wide with fear and bright with tears that were silently running down her face, the girl was obviously terrified. She could be no more than 15, Sam decided.

The way that Goa'uld could so callously use children for their own means was just too much. Even though she wasn't sure what was going to happen next, all the horrifying images running through her and Daniel's collective head made her want to snap Terak's neck. They already had a good idea of the possibilities from the examples of Cassandra and Ryac. If only she were stronger and not held by two jaffa, she'd kill him.

Daniel agreed with that sentiment, but wished that there was a viable solution. Wishes only went so far, and in this case, not far enough.

"Oh, the look upon your face is most satisfying. But, that is not what I am after. I will give you this one final chance to tell me now, and save everyone." He was having way too much fun, Sam decided. Her face narrowed in anger.

"I can't tell you what I don't know!" Sam screamed at him hopelessly, her tones echoing throughout the chamber. The girl's startled jump didn't go unnoticed. She would have told him. If she actually believed that he would hold to his words, and if she actually knew anything, she would have told him in an instant. But she knew just how far a Goa'uld's promise went.

"No doubt your host is responsible for your audacity. Allowing such a primitive creature to have sway over your actions will only serve to corrupt your mind. That is the problem with the Tok'ra, you are all mad. If you had any sense at all, you would lock its mind up where it belongs. Nothing good comes out of allowing such a primitive creature any power."

Sam didn't know how to respond to that. It definitely wasn't what she had expected him to say. She couldn't help but look at him with surprise. The statement seemed very random. Was he going off on a tangent?

"What you require is a body that will be more pliable to your will. Maybe then you will be better able to see reason. Your host is also damaged, and it would be a shame were something to happen to you. This is for your benefit." Terak stated. The ease of his words belied the cruelty behind them.

//Oh my god!// Both she and Daniel got it at the same time. What he suggested wasn't for anyone's benefit but his own. She really wanted to kill him.

"You can't be serious!" Sam responded in disbelief, her resonating tone raising in pitch. How could he?

"I am very serious. You will change hosts now." Terak commanded, his tone hardening.

"No!" Sam stated resolutely. She would NOT do that to anybody. The girl still hadn't spoken a word, but the silent tears continued, along with a terrified look that broke Sam's heart. Daniel was speechless.

"Take her now!" the Goa'uld shouted at her, the girl jumping again.

She refused to put that girl through the pain she had went through, through what every unwilling host had to live with. She simply couldn't. "I won't!"

"If you do not, she will suffer a most excruciating end, of this I promise." Terak narrowed his eyes and spoke levelly. The even tone drove the words in deeper than yelling them ever could.

"I don't know anything! I can't tell you what I don't know! You're wasting your time!" Sam shouted at the top of her lungs, tears threatening to fall from her own eyes. She begged him with her eyes to see reason.

**Anything but this!** She cried inwardly.

"My patience grows thin. Leave him now if you wish her to live!"

//Sam...// Daniel began.

**You CAN'T be serious!** How could Daniel even suggest it? Sam was mortified.

//If you don't, she'll die. Of everything he's said, that's the only thing I believe he's telling the truth about.// Daniel defended.

**How can you ask me to do that to someone?** He had to know what he was asking. Sha're had been taken by a Goa'uld. She herself had been possessed against her will. Daniel had to have some idea of what that was like for someone. How could he not?

//It's to save HER life. You're not a Gould. You're not a misguided Tok'ra. Doing it would be for her benefit, not your own. You can help her through it.//

God damn it, why did he have to make sense? She didn't want him to be right in the least. Because if he was right, then she'd have to do it. But no matter how hard she tried to come up with reasons against it, he was making sense.

**Even if I wanted to, I still don't know what I'm doing. I could kill her. I could kill YOU.** Sam still tried desperately to think of reasons against it. Terak could even kill him afterwards, why would he need Daniel around after the deed?

//At least there would be a chance. I wouldn't be able to live with myself anyway if someone died because I wasn't willing to take a chance. You feel the same way, I know it. This is a horrible situation, but you have to try.//

He was right. Would to God that he wasn't. How could she even think about doing this to someone? Despite their current relations with the Tok'ra, Sam still couldn't make herself comfortable with becoming a host ever again. She doubted she ever could. Now she was going to put someone through a similar situation. And somehow she had found justification for it!

She'd have to tear out of Daniel's flesh, and then into the girl's. To save the girl she'd have to hurt them both. As if that wasn't horrific enough, she'd then had to invade her mind. Of course, there was the ever-present possibility that she could screw something up, or that Daniel would be too weak. One or both could die from her actions. One WOULD die if she didn't, if not both.

She lowered her head in defeat. Even with the support Daniel gave her, Sam couldn't feel any worse about what she was going to do. Her words were barely audible, no real tone to them but the resonance that always existed. "I'll do it."

Terak's anger disappeared in a flash, to be replaced by a smug, victorious smile. "I never doubted."

*

Daniel quickly found himself in control of his body, little good that it did him. He was surrounded by Sam's doubts and fears, wishing he could do something to dispel them. The problem was, he didn't know any more than she did. Daniel just knew they had to try. He also knew that this would hurt Sam worst of all.

"Bring the girl forward. I will allow you to perform the implantation as the Tok'ra seem to prefer. It is the least I can do." Daniel glowered at the Gould, willing his coy words to strangle him. Sadly, they didn't comply.

The girl gasped as the jaffa brought her within a foot of Daniel's face. Softening his expression, trying to calm the girl down, as futile as that may be, he felt Sam stiffen in the back of his neck. Her resolve was faltering, not that there had been much of it to begin with.

//Sam, you have to.// he warned, forcing every bit of encouragement he could into the words. This poor girl shouldn't be forced into such a position. But since she was, it was up to them to protect her as much as they could.

Sam's thoughts dwelled on having to break through flesh before attaining the final, terrifying goal. Blood. His blood. The girl's blood. The trickle of blood on Rosha's lip. The images flashed by at breakneck speed, blurring together. She was comparing this moment to the memory of Jolinar, and to her distraught mind there seemed no difference.

//You're not doing this for yourself. This would help her, otherwise she WILL die.// He didn't like putting this sort of pressure on her, but there was no other way. Sam had to do this. The guilt, if she didn't, would destroy her.

Terak's patience wouldn't last much longer.

**Daniel.** the thought was both a plea and a signal. A plea for this not to be necessary. A signal that if it WAS going to happen, it had better be soon before she lost what nerve she had left.

"Open your mouth, child. Your god commands it." Terak ordered.

The girl slowly complied, trembling visibly.

"It's ok." Daniel spoke softly, his words barely loud enough for the girl to catch.

//Now.// he prompted. Sam hesitated, daunted by the fear that radiated from the girl.

Her actions were so sudden that even Daniel was caught by surprise. His connection with Sam diminished as tendrils began retracting. While he could still feel her, he could tell that the actions were sloppy, that she had difficulty commanding her body to move, the mechanics not at all like a human body. She was striking out blind, not sure what she was supposed to do.

Then he couldn't feel her anymore. Not mentally, that is. He could feel her shifting along his spine. Daniel imagined Sam trying to prepare herself for what was to come. The damage she was going to cause would be significant, and he knew she didn't want to cause pain. Unfortunately, there was no way around it.

Daniel opened his own mouth, and consciously willed it to stay so as Sam began squirming in earnest. He couldn't help but gag as she broke through, blood running down his throat. He saw as the girl gave a startled cry in response to his violent reaction, held in place by the jaffa, mouth reopened by a stern command from Terak. The sensation wasn't unlike vomiting as he felt her slithering into his mouth, the action lengthened by her lack of coordination. Daniel continued to retch as she finally ran across his tongue, the coppery taste of blood mixed with a disgusting, but unidentifiable tang of her flesh.

The girl's wide eyes got even bigger as she watched the symbiote crawl out of Daniel. He could imagine the blood that was smeared along Sam's body. If she hadn't been held in place, Daniel knew that she would have bolted long ago. This was going to be hard on everyone. He willed that this experience, assuming they all lived through it, wasn't too much for any of them to work through.

Despite his mental preparations, he wasn't ready for the sight of a bloodied symbiote, covered in his blood, launching through the air, the wispy screech filling the room for an instant. Sam was in his head for two weeks, but all that time he had never had to look at her. To see a snake and know that it was Sam... he just didn't know how to react, as he hadn't figured it was going to be necessary. At that moment he realized he had never fully accepted it. The fact that before he COULDN'T see her had made it possible for him to think it hadn't really happened on some subconscious level that neither of them had recognized.

The girl's screams snapped Daniel back into the moment. Tears were once again coursing down her face as she fought the jaffa that held her. Sam had completely disappeared by then, smeared blood on the girl's face the only evidence of her travels. And the screaming. The keening wail became even more frantic and carnal, gagging and coughing against the flow of blood making the cry even more heart wrenching. Daniel tried to will calmness and strength to both Sam and the girl, her violent reaction reminding him of the blood trickling down his own throat.

Fatigue hit him like a ton of bricks, and Daniel was just able to catch the flash of the girl's eyes before he saw no more.

Her wail followed him into unconsciousness.

*

Sam had NO idea what she was doing, and even less of a desire to do it. The girl's screams had vibrated through her as she tore through the back of her mouth. Both her and Daniel's gagging had squeezed at her like a vice, the pain barely registering through the myriad emotions that filled her. Horror was one of the main ones, followed closely by fear and guilt. Horror at the act she was doing. Fear that she would screw it up. Guilt that she was even doing it in the first place.

She was almost there, and she had no idea what to do next.

The girls cries continued, cries caused by her. How could this possibly help if it caused so much pain and distress?

Because the girl would still be alive, she answered herself. They'd find a way to escape, and at that very moment she would leave. She'd make the girl suffer her presence no longer than necessary to ensure her survival. Even if there wasn't someone else. Sam didn't WANT to go through this again, whether the person was willing or not.

How was she supposed to know how to thread herself into the brain? Wrapping around the spine was easy enough, but this last part was something entirely different. Mistakes could be extremely costly.

Suddenly Sam saw a young man, short dirty-blond hair and a nervous smile on his face. Jolinar's first host. Melik, her mind supplied. Jolinar was still larval, Tok'ra not having the benefit of jaffa to incubate within until they matured. Egeria, the queen responsible for the creation of the Tok'ra, held her progeny in an outstretched hand.

Sam watched on as the vision showed Jolinar entering the man, and weaving herself within. She strained her mind to remember every detail of the moment. Then she willed herself to follow the mental instructions, something that would be instinctual for a symbiote. Instincts that her transformation apparently neglected to give her.

Actually moving was harder than remembering where to move. Humans only had two arms, four appendages all told. There were more tendrils than she cared to count, and keeping them all straight in her head was a chore. The distraction of the girl's wailing made it that much harder.

Like turning on a light, suddenly she could feel the girl. Sam found herself, not at all deliberately, in control. Her eyes flashed. Sam didn't have proof, it wasn't like she could actually see it, she simply knew that they did. Immediately, she stepped back, and the fearful girl continued her screams.

Alahn, a memory or a thought, Sam couldn't be sure which, supplied. It was the girl's name. Nothing else was intelligible, just garbled thoughts. Terror was the only thing Sam could make out with any certainty.

**I'm so sorry, Alahn. You don't deserve this.**

Sam pushed herself as far back as she possibly could. She didn't look at the jumbled thoughts that ran through the poor girls head, deciding that though she had to take Alahn, no one said that she had to take control of her. Alahn continued to cry, now speaking unintelligible words of her native language between sobs. Though Sam tried to isolate herself as much as being tethered to her brain would allow, she couldn't ignore all of it.

Some of the words she was able to catch, deciphered by the thoughts that ran parallel to them. 'Demon' and 'punishment' appeared in the jumbled mess numerous times.

Sam didn't have a reply.

"Tok'ra, stop this creatures pitiful display." Terak bellowed to be heard over the cries of Alahn, weakening only because the girl didn't have the strength to continue at their former strength.

Memories of the Nasyan and herself washed over Sam, both held prisoners in their own minds. She wouldn't do it to Alahn, not for one second.

"You dare to continue to test me? Return the other to the cell, if it survives, we will deal with it." Terak's frustration was evident. One of the guards picked up Daniel's limp form, Sam hoping against hope that he'd be alright, and carried him out of the room over his shoulder.

Terak continued to command her to stop, shouting and screaming, but Sam refused to do anything. Alahn was too hysteric to comply, even if he was 'her god.'

How long it went on for, Sam couldn't guess.

*

The instant that the door was opened and Daniel Jackson was tossed into the cell, Teal'c was beside him. O'Neill could only sit up stiffly, head still throbbing from the prolonged assault of a ribbon device. Teal'c turned the archaeologist onto his back, at first unable to see anything but the blood that had trickled down the man's chin.

The telltale sensation that he should have felt wasn't there.

"I do not sense a symbiote." Teal'c stated, his words hurried, hinting at his agitation.

"What?" O'Neill responded, pulling himself towards the injured man.

"Major Carter is no longer within Daniel Jackson." The immediate thought that ran through Teal'c's head was that she was dead. Terak, no doubt reaching the limit of his patience, must have ended the life of his friend.

His fist slammed against the hard floor, a numb sensation spreading across his hand.

"Daniel?" the Colonel asked, bringing a hand up to check his pulse.

"I believe the bleeding has stopped, O'Neill." As far as Teal'c could tell, opening Daniel Jackson's mouth, that was the case. The pallor of his face, however, left something to be desired. Pale skin contrasted starkly with the dark stone color of the floor, a light sheen of sweat reflecting the dim light.

"Where are the marines when you need 'em?" Though O'Neill often made jokes at SG-3's expense, he realized the marines' effectiveness in combat. Of course at this point, neither of them were very picky as to WHO came to the rescue, so long as someone did come. Before anyone else was lost.

Teal'c stared intently at the injured man before him, wishing that they could do SOMETHING to help him. Without supplies, food, or even water, all they could do was watch and hope that he'd be ok. Much like O'Neill, Teal'c was a doer, and with nothing to do he could only sit as his anger boiled around him. What he wouldn't have done for the chance to teach Terak the true meaning of a slow and painful death. During his time with Apophis, Teal'c had learned many things he WOULD wish on his worst enemy, and was more than willing to show this Goa'uld a few of them.

But it wasn't an option, at least not a viable one. He was mostly healed, but even a symbiote couldn't cure everything overnight. Unarmed and wounded against an unknown number of jaffa wouldn't get him very far, definitely not far enough for Teal'c to achieve his desires. That fact only caused his anger to rise. He and his friends had been hurt, and he was powerless to do anything about it.

Teal'c didn't like being powerless. He hit the ground again, one of the bones in his hand giving way. Using the sharp pain as a vent, he expelled the anger from himself. As Master Bra'tak had taught, anger would only cause sloppiness in battle. Teal'c couldn't afford such mistakes, nor could O'Neill or Daniel Jackson.

Craning his head, Teal'c listened to a strange noise coming from the hall outside. At first he couldn't make out the sound, but as it got louder he could hear the sobbing for what it was. He saw O'Neill's head perk moments later, only just picking up the sound.

Neither had any idea who it was. Teal'c could tell that it was feminine, but as of yet they had seen no women, only Terak and his jaffa. To the Colonel's questioning gaze he could only raise his eyebrow.

The door soon opened, and the source of the sobbing was roughly shoved inside. The girl stumbled several steps before regaining balance, her sobs dying down to gasping sniffles. When she looked around and settled her gaze on Teal'c, and respectively his tattoo, she screamed. Clawing at the door, she cried hoarsely in a language Teal'c had never heard before. Determining that her pleas were getting her nowhere, the girl quickly skirted into the farthest corner, curling herself up and not taking her eyes off of him.

Teal'c could only stare back, dumbfounded, trying to make sense of her presence. She looked like any of countless primitive humans maintained by the Goa'uld. Terak must have a colony on this planet, he determined. Her fear of him was understandable, obviously identifying him as a jaffa and therefore, most likely, an enemy. But why would a slave suddenly be put in with them? It didn't make sense.

There was something else, but he couldn't quite place it.

"We do not wish to harm you." Teal'c told her in his gentlest tone, his voice pleasantly deep. The girl shrunk deeper into the corner, not swayed by his words. Whether she actually understood what he said, he didn't know.

The idea that he was missing something plagued Teal'c. Something very obvious. Unable to shake it, he got up. The girl's eyes widened, checking the room again for a retreat that didn't exist. "Do not be afraid."

Walking closer, the feeling intensified. It coalesced into a sort of tingling along his spine. Things were starting to make sense.

"Major Carter?" he asked.

"Teal'c?" O'Neill questioned.

"She carries a symbiote."

"Could be any snake." Teal'c could tell that O'Neill hoped it wasn't just any snake, but had to point out the possibility. Teal'c was already aware that could be so, but doubted that it was any other.

He had never known a Goa'uld to take anyone quite so young, and most certainly not one that didn't bring their host under control.

But there was no response to his query, which caused Teal'c to frown. Was the symbiote Major Carter, or another? Why didn't it respond?

*

The servant continued to look at her, his expression pleading for something. He was big and dark with a golden symbol. The servant that had killed her father had been big and dark with a golden symbol. He was going to kill her too, and she wouldn't be able to get away.

Something inside told her that he wouldn't hurt her. He had said so himself, but trusting the gods or their servants only brought trouble. Why did she believe him then?

That thing! That thing that had shot inside of her mouth, tearing into her. She swore she could still taste the blood in her mouth from it... her, something corrected, slithering into her throat. Pain and blood in ample qualities. Something was inside of her that wasn't meant to be. Thoughts that weren't hers kept running through her head.

**Shouldn't have done it.** She didn't understand the thought. It wasn't hers, yet it floated in her head as surely as if it was. That creature, she, Sam, she could hear her. If she listened, she could hear everything. She expected angry, evil thoughts, like she imagined the god Terak having. He called himself a god, but her people knew better. He was a demon, but not a god.

These thoughts were anything but evil, somber and regretful were more apt descriptions. Still, Alahn was afraid of searching them out, afraid that maybe Sam wasn't as non-threatening as her thoughts suggested. Actively reaching for these thoughts might anger her.

**I'm not going to do anything to you.** she could talk to her? How did she talk back?

**Just think it.**

//What are you? Why are you in me?// Punishment, from Terak. He must have heard her curse his name but a moon ago. All this because she couldn't keep her mouth shut.

**I am a symbiote. I won't let anyone harm you.** That didn't sound like punishment, to be protected. She found herself believing the thoughts. Somehow, she couldn't explain it, she knew that they were true.

She saw Sam entering her through her eyes, feeling the revulsion she had felt to be forced to do such a thing.

//Then, this is your punishment?// Alahn felt herself getting angry. This happened to her to punish something else? She wanted to curse Terak's name again, but he was so close now that there was no way he wouldn't hear her, even in her thoughts. So she didn't even allow herself to think it.

**Terak is not a god, or a demon. He's a living creature like you or me or anyone else.**

//How can he be? He has tormented my people for countless generations!// Alahn denied it vehemently. Though she felt that Sam was telling her the truth, she couldn't accept that a simple being had tormented her people for so long. It was too much to bear.

Her father had been a strong man, surely only a god or its servant could kill him.

**I know this is a lot for you, but it's true.**

//You know? You know nothing!//

Alahn wasn't prepared for the violent reaction, the anger and frustration. A memory rushed through her. It was of a blond woman, a symbiote much like Sam in her own head. This woman had been trapped in her mind, the creature trying to convince her that its intentions were good, even as it threatened to kill her friends.

**I know more than anyone should have to.** With that thought Alahn realized that the woman was Sam.

//You are human?// she didn't know what else to say.

**I used to be.** as Sam continued to cool down, Alahn felt her guilt at the outburst.

//So, Terak is like you?// her eyes bulged in surprise as Sam flinched, unsettled by the comparison.

**He's a symbiote.** was the cautious reply. From Sam's thoughts she saw that there were good symbiotes and evil symbiotes. Tok'ra and Goa'uld were attached to these concepts.

This was a lot for her to take in. She needed the information to stop coming for a moment so she could try to comprehend what was already before her. Looking at the unconscious man that Sam identified as Daniel, she decided to change the subject.

"Is he going to be ok?" Alahn asked the other two men for Sam's benefit. Her voice was raspy from the combined effects of screaming and the wound she had received from the... blending. Ok, that thought was a bit unsettling. Remembering something burrowing inside of oneself was never a pleasant thought. And she was trying to dodge these thoughts for a little while.

Apparently, neither was expecting the words. Teal'c recovered from the shock first, though. "Daniel Jackson will require food and water. His condition will only worsen without these things. What has transpired?"

Alahn didn't remember much for details, since she was too busy screaming herself hoarse. Then it had seemed only practical, but now she saw how useless it had been. Thankfully she realized she didn't have to give a very detailed account. "One of the god's... Terak's servants took me when I was away from the village. He took me here, where we are forbidden to go. He commanded that Sam... take me or he'd have me killed." What she didn't remember, Sam supplied for her.

"And you are?" the Colonel, Jack, asked.

"Alahn."

"Carter's in you?" Why didn't Sam think of him as Jack?

**We're in the military.**

//But you think of Daniel as just Daniel, and Teal'c as Teal'c.//

**They aren't in the military.** she didn't understand it, why this military would make any difference. But it wasn't thoughts about having a creature in her head, so she welcomed the distraction.

//Well, I prefer Jack.// Alahn informed her, surprised at the playfulness in her words. Sam's mood even lightened a little, which was very surprising to them both.

"She is." Alahn couldn't help the slight smile that appeared on her own face.

"You seem pretty calm about recent events." He continued, almost accusingly.

At the moment she was, but who knew if it would last. Right now she was able to handle it by not thinking about it, which became more difficult with this sort of question posed to her.

"I don't know." She replied. Maybe some of it also had to do with her expecting worse. The stories told about what happens to those who go into the forbidden territory had described many gruesome things, none of them ending in the person surviving. She was still alive, and more or less intact. It was more than she could have hoped for.

Whether things stayed that way, however, was a different story.

*

A long silence ensued, during which the cell door was cracked open, and a tray containing a pitcher of water and a bowl of some unidentifiable gray sludge was slid in haphazardly. Sam watched as Teal'c reacted quickly, grabbing the pitcher before it could spill. The bowl didn't fare so well, some of its contents sloshing over the edge, the thin goop running down the side.

The water had been nice; it was clean and cool. Most had been given to Daniel, who had groggily woken up for a few minutes before promptly returning to the land of the dead. He was quite literally awake just long enough to drink his portion, falling asleep in the middle of a question. He hadn't even finished the first word, which Sam was sure would have been 'what,' while Alahn argued that it would have been 'where.'

The slop, however, was a completely different story. They passed around the bowl, Alahn and the Colonel only managing a few mouthfuls before the threat of the concoction making a return visit forced them to stop. As hungry as they may be, their stomachs still couldn't handle anything that disgusting, there weren't even words to describe it. Teal'c, though, was able to eat a hearty portion with seemingly no ill effects.

How, in the course of an hour, could things go from complete and utter chaos and hysterics to easy banter? There was definitely some sort of denial responsible, but at the moment it made things easier, so who were they to complain? With the way their luck was running, they could use all the 'easier' they could get.

The door slid open, revealing two jaffa. They beckoned Alahn with their weapons. Alahn looked up with shock, though it wasn't really so much of one that she was picked. Sam had figured that it would happen, and Alahn had agreed to her logic, which sadly was correct.

Sam tried to calm the girl. Panicking wouldn't do any good. Sucking in a shaky breath, Alahn stood up and left the room in front of the guards. The walk to their destination seemed to drag on. Sam did all she could to bolster Alahn's spirits, but it was a difficult task when she herself was afraid. Just what would this creature do to her? She was just a girl.

//I'm 16 as of last mooncycle, recognized as a woman among my people.// she corrected, partially out of pride, but mostly to distract herself. The technicality didn't make Sam feel any better about the situation.

They were brought to a room that definitely was not the throne room. Sam would have thanked heaven for that small favor, glad to pass up the reminders that place would give her, were this room more inviting. Manacles on the walls and torches in the corner, it was far from the most pleasant setting she had ever seen before.

//What's going to happen?// The jaffa shackled Alahn to a side wall. Once done, they quickly exited the room.

**I'm not sure.** pain stick, ribbon device, or something else, she couldn't say. All Sam was sure of was that it would hurt.

She felt Alahn's face lose it's color.

**I can take control, it might make this easier.** Sam was hesitant, still afraid of the implications, but her desire to protect Alahn as much as possible won out. The girl agreed.

Just as Sam asserted herself, Terak entered the room.

"Are you prepared to answer my questions now?" he asked immediately, his overly pleasant tone was soured by the resonance.

//Serat, serat, tonana tel molana felif.// Leave, leave, gods drive the demon away. Alahn's ward didn't have the desired result.

"As I have said before, I can't tell you what I don't know." Her dual tones were higher in pitch now that she was in the body of a woman, enhanced even more so by her age. Alahn mentally reeled at the sound.

//How do you do that?//

**I have no idea. It just happens.**

"Tell me!" Terak raised his arm threateningly, the jewel growing a brilliant orange.

"I can't!" Sam instinctively closed her eyes against what she knew was to come. It wasn't what she had anticipated though. He moved, aiming for the side of the neck instead of the forehead. She didn't see this, so was completely unprepared for the beam actually hitting her, and not Alahn.

It hurt like nothing she had ever felt before. Sam had been under a ribbon device before, but it had never been this bad. She couldn't maintain control, the pain wouldn't be ignored. She writhed, unable to stop herself, tossing to try to escape the beam.

"Stop it!" Alahn screamed, pulling at her bonds. Sam was unable to think or register anything but the searing pain.

Finally remembering her feet weren't restrained, Alahn kicked out forcefully, her blow landing solidly between his legs, causing Terak to double over.

"Impudent whelp!" he yelped, several octaves higher than his normal voice. After recovering slightly he re-aimed the device at her, sending the agonizing energy into the girl's skull.

Unable to do anything to stop it, Sam felt unconsciousness pulling at her. It had hardly been ten minutes and she was going to pass out, a fact that frustrated her to no end. Alahn wasn't too far behind.

--

Sam felt herself being pulled along. Cracking open her eyes she made out the dark passage and the two men that held her. The moment was a fleeting one, oblivion hard pressed to let her escape its clutches.

A crack of light ran across the corridor. Bright white against the bleary oranges and yellows of firelight, the sunlight couldn't be mistaken. As they dragged her past, she watched the jaffa who had entered through the door before it slid shut.

Not believing her luck, Sam forced herself to remember that little piece of information as darkness descended once more.

*

Daniel was amazed when he was able to keep his eyes open for more than a minute. For the past hour or so he had been drifting in and out, only able to remain conscious for an instant. It had taken most of that instant to gather the strength to do anything but stare, so communication had been a bit of a problem.

When he realized that he wasn't immediately sinking back into nothingness, he quickly shot off the question that had been plaguing him each time. "Where's Sam?"

"With Terak." Jack replied.

That wasn't good. He felt decidedly awkward when no response to his thought was forthcoming. Empty was a good description, Daniel decided. It had only been two weeks but already in that time he had grown accustomed to the extra voice in his head. Already he missed the constant banter. Though there were two other people in the room, he still felt alone.

"The girl?"

"She seemed to be doing surprisingly well." Teal'c informed him. Daniel didn't really understand that, she wasn't doing well at all from what he remembered. But apparently he had been wrong, or something had changed awfully fast.

"Really?" Daniel replied, partially in disbelief. He wasn't asleep yet, but energy wasn't something Daniel had an abundance of at the moment, that fact showing in the yawn that accompanied the word.

"Indeed." Teal'c's reply, though one word, was laced with such deep meaning. He said it in such a way that Daniel was sure that Teal'c was aware of his confusion, and agreed it was a strange happenstance. Apparently he hadn't been totally wrong...

The door opened, the suddenness of it not really surprising anymore, and the girl was thrown in. Teal'c had been standing nearby, so he was able to catch her before she collided with the unyielding floor.

Daniel tried to sit up, and instantly regretted it. The world spun before his eyes, and he fell back, nausea threatening.

"Are they ok?" he instantly asked, since he couldn't check on it for himself.

"Alahn is unconscious." Teal'c answered.

"Sweet." Jack replied as he approached.

"Can you tell what happened?"

"They appear to have been tortured by a ribbon device."

"Damn it!" a resonating tone announced, filled with pain, though not quite conscious.

"Carter?" Jack asked.

Daniel managed to lever on his side, able to see at least some of the proceedings. Sam took several moments to come to at the question, blinking her eyes blearily.

"Door." She stated.

"Excuse me?" Jack retorted.

"What?" she asked in confusion, her voice beginning to lose the sleepy quality as she came to.

"You tell me. Something about a door."

She thought about it long and hard. "I don't rem... there was a door between here and the room they took me to. It leads outside." Even with the tones of a symbiote, the satisfaction in her voice at remembering was plainly audible.

From his position, Daniel could see Jack's eyes perk up. There was something in his expression that Daniel couldn't quite figure out from his obscured position.

"How's Alahn?" Daniel asked, using the name that Teal'c had provided.

"Still out." Sam seemed to be taking it well too. Apparently everyone had undergone a transformation during his impression of sleeping beauty.

*

A door. A way out. Jack couldn't let this one pass. They had a chance to escape. Someone could bring back help for the others. Leave it to the Gould to make stupid design errors in their buildings.

"Anyone who gets taken should find that door and make a break if they can." Jack announced.

"Sir!" Carter cried out in protest.

"Whoever can manage it should immediately try to locate the Stargate and get a rescue team for the others. One might already be on the way, but it isn't a guarantee. We need to do our part."

"What about the others?"

"Will be here waiting for the rescue or trying to get out on their own." Since he had no idea where here was, chances were the rescue team wouldn't either. The UAV hadn't shown this building, warning bells would have gone off then, so it was unlikely anyone would stumble across it. Which meant they needed someone to guide the team. Of course, that also depended on the person being able to locate the 'gate.

One bridge at a time. It was the best idea they had, and the only way any of them were going to get out of here.

Teal'c inclined his head in understanding, Daniel was in no condition to do it, so he didn't apply, and Sam reluctantly acknowledged that it was the best option they had open to them. He could understand her feelings, he didn't want to leave anyone behind here, either. Terak would be ripped if he found out someone had escaped.

Assuming they got that far.

They just had to hope for the best, for whoever got the opportunity. "Rest up people, we're gonna have to be at our best."

*

Sam had managed quite a nap when the door opened. Alahn was also awake, both still working to overcome the lingering effects of the ribbon device. Basically it had dulled to the point of a persisting headache and a bit of dizziness. One guard stood in the doorway, beckoning her forward.

The moment of truth. Sam got up slowly, closing her eyes to keep from falling back down again. At the prompting of the jaffa she picked up her pace, giving the others one last look before she was pushed down the hall.

Even if she did get out the door and find the Stargate, Terak may not leave anything behind for her to get rescue for.

She was pushed forward by the impatient guard, one that she hadn't seen before. He hadn't opened his weapon, she noted when he had taken her. Stupid on his part, not that she was going to tell him that. Since she didn't know exactly where the door was, she looked for hints on the wall, a seam or anything that would tell her that a door existed there. With the dim light it was exceptionally difficult to tell.

Finally she saw a panel on the wall. Apparently it wasn't a secret door after all. Noting that there were no other guards in sight, and hoping the same held true for when she got out, she made her move. The jaffa had his staff held against her back. Sam spun around, pushing the weapon away from her body and pulling it out of his grasp, catching the jaffa entirely by surprised. She then rammed the butt of the weapon against his face as hard as she could, not waiting to find out whether it killed or just incapacitated.

Even before his body had fallen to the floor she was working on the door. She just pressed the symbol on the nearby panel that, through a lot of experience, she recognized as the door mechanism. The door opened. There wasn't even a lock on it, which Sam just couldn't understand, nor did she take the time to really care. She had to get away before someone noticed, or else it didn't matter whether or not the stupid door had had a lock.

Deciding that the extra weight of the staff weapon wouldn't be worth its presence, she left it in front of the door. The only way she would get out would be to outrun them, not get caught up in a firefight.

Unfortunately, taking in her surroundings in the dwindling light of early evening, Sam realized that she had no idea what direction the 'gate was in, and neither did Alahn.

TBC


	3. Perseverantiae :Perseverance:

Title: Legacy of the Xel'naga 3: Perseverantiae (Perseverance)

Author: Confushi Sushi

Email: confushi_

Rating: PG13 (violence, some swearing)

Spoilers: 202 ITLOD, probably others I might have missed

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst

Pairing(s): none in this part

Season: Looking like sometime late 3rd, maybe 4th

Summary: Getting off the planet proves not to be so simple, and the puzzle continues to unfurl.

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back, I swear.

A/N: Like I said before, I'm only using the Xel'naga name because it's cool, so don't hurt me. Still love Blizzard ;-) Would LOVE to hear what you think about this piece, even if it's just a line saying you liked it or hated it. PLEASE!!!! Huge thanx and lots of love to Kalliope for the beta. My mistakes, you hear?

*

Sam was at a complete loss. Nothing looked familiar to either her or Alahn. The Stargate could be in any direction. One they could so easily end up not choosing.

To be honest, she had wondered if this was going to happen. It's not like they knew where Terak's base was to begin with. That thought made Sam turn back to the building, or lack thereof. All she could see of the base was a steep downward slope she had just climbed that led to the door she had just used. It was underground, the top looked just like any other part of the forest would. And the door itself was camouflaged.

No surprise the UAV hadn't spotted it. It was concealed and probably didn't give off any discernable energy readings. While she was being honest with herself, Sam had to admit that it might not have even been within the probe's search arc.

Which meant that she had even less of a clue where she was.

//So, which way do we go?// Alahn wondered, beginning to panic. Their escape could be noticed at any time.

**I don't know, but we can't stay here.** Even if they went the wrong way, they had to get as far from the base as they could immediately. But first, Sam had to make sure they had some chance of being able to identify this place so that they could lead a rescue team there. She looked for some sort of identifying mark that would be easy to pick out. A large white rock that looked like quartz jutted out of the ground by the slope, completely clean of moss. It wasn't much, but she hoped that along with an idea of the layout of the area that it would be enough.

Deciding against going straight ahead, dismissing it as far too obvious a direction to pick, Sam turned left and fled into the woods. Branches seemed to grab at her, always arranged so that she would have to run through the highest concentrations. They whipped at her exposed skin, but she paid them no mind. There were things far more important that had her attention.

Like just how long they would have until someone discovered that they were missing.

A guard could come across the jaffa that she had attacked at any time. Or he himself could not be dead and seek help. At any moment her escape could be made, so she needed to make sure to get as far away as possible before that time.

//What's the point? They're going to find us!// Alahn was frantic, her fear doing nothing to allay Sam's own doubts.

**You're not helping!** Sam snapped, just as she heard a sound that was all too familiar.

A jaffa horn.

*

Daniel was awoken suddenly by the muffled sound of a horn blaring. He looked at Jack and Teal'c questioningly, but they knew just as little as he did. As he pulled himself up to a sitting position, Daniel could begin to make out the jaffa yelling to one another in Gould.

"Tanal eres!" The particular cry was clearly heard, along with the thuds of several pairs of feet running by the cell.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"It would seem Major Carter has managed to escape." Teal'c supplied, and Daniel nodded his head in agreement. 'The girl is missing' was the translation for the phrase.

Jack was mighty pleased by that bit of news, grinning like a madman. "Of course she has."

Finally, a bit of good news in all of this, Daniel thought with a sigh. He couldn't help but smile himself, and even Teal'c's lips curved up noticeably.

They could only hope it would last.

*

Alahn was scared out of her mind. She wasn't ashamed to admit it. She certainly couldn't hide it. They'd never find this... Stargate, much less elude the servants that were now scouring the woods for them. Warriors that knew this terrain far better than either of them.

**Do you WANT to be caught?** Sam asked her, the frustration she felt overwhelming them both. Sam was panting already, neither of them quite recovered from the hand device. Yet another reason Alahn was certain they weren't going to make it.

//Of course not!// She knew what would happen if they were caught, she wasn't stupid. Death would be a godsend.

**Then don't be so negative. It's not helping anyone.**

Sam was right, but Alahn had no idea how else to feel. Overwhelming doubt only seemed natural. Neither of them were really bursting with confidence at that point. It was dark now, almost to the point of not being able to see anything. Unfortunately this probably helped their pursuers more than it did them, as they had to be careful not to run head on into trees, or trip over roots. She didn't really see anything to be positive about at the moment.

Sure they were free for the time being, but Alahn didn't think it would last very long.

The jaffa were making no efforts to hide their positions, calling out to each other. It allowed them to keep track of the jaffa, but nothing else. Sadly it was in Goa'uld, and neither of them could speak it. As much as knowing where the jaffa were benefited them, it would be immensely more helpful if they could figure out their plans. Sam did know a few words, but "kree" wasn't going to tell them much about what was being said.

Sam let out a quick gasp as her left side crashed against an unyielding trunk. She couldn't stop herself as she spun to the ground. What she wouldn't have given for the chance to just lay there for a few minutes, to stop running and rest. But they didn't have that luxury, the loud calling of the jaffa behind them attesting to that fact. Sam had landed on her back, and it took some struggling to roll onto her chest. Muscles ached as they tried to persuade her that lying down was the better option. The same tree that took her down was used to help get Sam back onto her feet.

//They're going to get us. We're going to die. Just like Father.// Sam actually fought against the memory Alahn had created of her father's death, trying to push it from her mind.

**We can't afford this right now.** Sam tried to reason with her while pushing herself off of the tree and continuing their escape. An image of a jaffa killing a man certainly did nothing for morale.

There was virtually no ambient light from the stars in the sky, and no visible moon. Alahn decided that helping out would be vastly more productive than fretting. She realized that, though she could only see what Sam saw, she could focus all her concentration on what she was looking at, and actually catch some of the more subtle things that Sam would be too preoccupied to acknowledge. The faint blurs of smaller trees and shrubs were difficult to make out, but Alahn was able to identify some of the obstacles for Sam, helping them to stay on their feet and moving.

Even with this slight advantage, their pace was too slow for either of their liking. Neither body was at full strength, far from it. If there weren't a deadly search party scouring the woods behind them, Sam would have marveled at the fact that she could even put one foot in front of the other.

//We're not going to make it.// Alahn couldn't help but be morose. They had almost every disadvantage possible, there was no way that they could continue to outrun the jaffa behind them.

**Alahn! Just... Stop it!** the thought was accompanied by a small growl, stifled in an attempt to keep from being heard.

Alahn was caught by surprise, unable to think of a response. She had not been prepared for anything like that from Sam. It was the first harsh thought she had encountered, a true testament to the frustration they were both feeling. Alahn realized she did deserve it.

//Sorry.// then Alahn felt something strange, or rather, Sam felt it. It was a strange tingling that quickly grew stronger. She asked Sam what it was.

Instead of answering, Sam ducked forward, twisting her body to look behind her. The faint whisper of the staff weapon swinging through the air could just be heard before it glanced off of her shoulder blade. Sam grunted, the momentum throwing her to the ground yet again.

The jaffa chuckled, taking a few steps forward to where Sam lay. He carried his staff like a walking stick, apparently assuming he'd get no further trouble from her. That suited Sam fine, and she waited for him to get closer. Alahn snickered mentally when she learned Sam's plan. He walked right up to her and bent down to pick her up off of the ground. Sam hit him as hard as she could under the chin, stopping him from calling out.

He fell backwards onto his butt. Sam grabbed his staff weapon, which came easily from his grasp. While he was still recovering, she cracked the weapon across his face. She knew he was dead.

Sam was going to leave the weapon.

//No!// Alahn argued. They needed something to defend themselves with.

**We need to keep moving.** Sam explained.

//Take it with us.//

**How far do you think we'll get carrying this? We're going too slowly as it is!** Alahn was unwilling to concede the point, as was Sam.

//And what will we do the next time they catch up to us?// She didn't see them being so lucky again. Definitely not if they were unarmed.

**We'll get drawn up into firefights. Flashy and loud firefights. More jaffa will come to help those that do catch up to us. One weapon won't help us then. We don't have time for this!** Sam insisted.

//I know, but we need something!// And this happened to be the only something that she could find. Alahn pressed and Sam caved, but only because she didn't want to stand around in the same spot any longer. Staff weapons weren't extremely heavy, but the burden was enough in their present condition, and the length meant it would easily get in the way if they weren't careful.

Alahn wished that they could stop somewhere, hide underneath a bush or something, and rest. If only the jaffa couldn't sense them, then it might have been a viable option. Both of them were exhausted. The burning in her muscles was persistent now. Just how long were they supposed to keep going?

*

Jack sat in a corner, leaning his side against the wall.

He was nervous. Jaffa were searching for Carter.

He was excited. She had managed to escape and was on her way to get help.

He was proud. There were no indications that the jaffa had found them yet.

He was hesitant. They could find her at any moment.

There were too many emotions running through his head at the moment, all pulling him in different directions.

As he looked around the room and saw pensive looks, Jack knew that he wasn't the only one with these thoughts.

"She'll make it." He said simply, unsure whether he was trying to convince them or himself, or perhaps both.

"Major Carter is most resourceful." Teal'c replied.

"But what about the girl?" Daniel asked hesitantly.

"She seems like a tough kid. Besides, Carter'll look after her." Jack said easily.

Daniel didn't look convinced, but didn't say anything. Jack took a second to reflect on what he had just said. Carter was trying to make her escape, a situation that held enough unknowns on its own. None of them knew what was outside of this place, or what she would encounter out there. Add to that a girl that could be falling apart, becoming one of the biggest 5th wheels known to man, and the situation didn't have the brightest outlook. None of them doubted Carter's abilities, but that could end up being too much for anyone. It was probably his overconfident tone that put Daniel off the most. Jack had to admit that he did sound like he expected her to pull through all of this with nary a problem.

Which, as his fears attested, was far from the case.

"If anyone can do it, she can." Jack amended, receiving a nod from Daniel. It wasn't much, but it looked like he was on the way to redeeming his previous remark.

And then the door opened.

Five guards stood in the hallway, and despite himself, Jack couldn't help but grin. Obviously this Terak guy wasn't going to risk another escape. Though it basically eliminated any chances they had of getting away, it still pleased him to no end that she had made this guy self-conscious, wary of losing more of his captives.

One of the jaffa grunted irritably and motioned with his staff weapon. Getting the hint, Jack and Teal'c got up, holding Daniel up between them. Daniel had yet to get a break, but Jack was pleased to note that the archaeologist was holding up well, all things considered. The jaffa seemed extra cautious as the remaining prisoners approached. None got too close, and they skillfully flanked their charges as they escorted them down the dark halls.

Jack wasn't surprised to see that they were led to the throne room. He also wasn't surprised when he saw Terak on the dais, pacing impatiently.

Yup, he had been right when he thought that Terak would be ripped.

"How dare you?" the incensed Gould bellowed immediately, stopping his angry march to face his prisoners.

"Excuse me?" Jack replied, feigning ignorance.

"This is intolerable! I do not suffer escapees."

"Well, you do now, Buster." Jack shot back with great satisfaction.

"Silence!" Terak hollered as he came forward, his red cloak swirling from the swiftness of his movements.

"I see now why your little 'empire' fell apart. I know dogs with more common sense."

Terak growled, raising his hand device and sending a blast at the insolent human. Jack, as well as the guard immediately behind him, flew backwards before slamming against the back wall. Daniel gave a startled cry, but he and Teal'c were prevented from doing anything. Terak stood in that pose for several moments, breathing heavily. Jack was able to roll onto his side so that he could see their captor. Then, as if a switch were activated, Terak gathered himself and smoothed down the ruffled fabric.

"This transgression cannot be allowed to continue." Terak stated calmly, smiling even.

"Oh, I don't know," Jack began, forcing air to his winded lungs, "I think it could continue for quite some time."

Jack braced himself for a retaliation that didn't come, thankfully enough.

"No, it will end. Many Tok'ra have the flaw of caring for their allies and those around them. You will help me convince this one to return."

"We will do no such thing." Teal'c took it upon himself to respond. He glared unwaveringly at the Gould. Jack gave him silent support from his position on the floor.

"You will tell her that you wish her to come back and cease this foolishness."

"Let me spell it out for you. N-O. Ain't gonna happen." Jack spoke resolutely. The jaffa that had been sandwiched between him and the wall finally managed to get up, and pulled Jack back to where Daniel and Teal'c were standing.

"She will be captured again, with or without your help. Assistance on your part will only aid your situation."

*

"Verelli?" Colonel Benson called out, glancing at the walls of the canyon they were walking through, the deep shadows just beginning to be chased away by the approach of dawn.

"Still no radio chatter, sir." The Lieutenant replied dutifully. Sargent Connor and Captain Holtz scanned the surroundings as well. After coming through the 'gate, they had immediately tried to establish radio contact with SG-1. They had gotten the same lack of response that the SGC had received when the General had attempted to contact the overdue team. Now SG-4 was tasked with finding the wayward team and bringing them home.

The best place to start seemed to be the cave that SG-1 was supposed to investigate.

When they reached the entrance, the signs of battle were impossible to miss.

"Staff blasts." Connor stated, running his hand over a blackened scar on one of the rocks.

"Alright everybody, keep an eye out." There weren't supposed to be Goa'uld on this planet. As far as they knew, there wasn't supposed to be anyone. "Let's check out the cave."

Gun mounted flashlights scanned the walls of the caves. Shell casings glinted from the front and rear of the cave, a testament to the effort that SG-1 put up before losing the battle.

"Sir, I got blood over here. And a pack." The lieutenant added the last bit after a short pause. Benson went over to where the man stood, his flashlight illuminating the area behind a sizeable boulder. The gray and muted brown rocks were smeared with dried blood. The pack was shoved in the crook that was formed between the boulder and the wall. It's black color made it very easy to miss in the shadows.

"Search it, might have something important." Verelli nodded and sifted through the pack. He immediately encountered the camera on top.

"Sir." Verelli announced, holding up the camera. Benson took the proffered item, opening up the view screen. He was hesitant, worried about what the camera might have captured.

"The cave is clear, sir. There are some strange stones in the back covered in some sort of writing, but that's it." Captain Holtz stated, stopping beside the Colonel. All of them gathered around to see what the video contained.

Benson rewound the tape briefly before pressing play. They all jumped, startled by the sudden sound of guns firing and staff weapons discharging. It was very wrong, considering the video output was of some spherical objects, obviously the ones that Holtz had just described.

"Any day now would be nice!" Colonel O'Neill's distinctive voice cried from somewhere off camera.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Doctor Jackson replied quickly, informing them that it was he making the recording.

"Faster would be better!"

All the while Jackson recorded the spheres, the sounds of weapons never ceased or wavered. Apparently finished, the camera was moved wildly.

"Fini..." Doctor Jackson's words were cut off as the video stopped.

Benson stopped the playback and handed the device back to Verelli, wanting the source of those sounds out of his hand. It didn't shed any more light on the situation than the physical signs of battle they had encountered, and only left all of them feeling more uneasy.

Unless they surrendered, something Benson doubted, he just didn't see SG-1 surviving. If they had come out the victors, then they would have returned through the 'gate, or SG-4 would have at least found some sign of them between here and there.

His instincts screamed that they were dead, but he refused to listen.

"Ok, Verelli, you're with me. Connor and Holtz, do a sweep of the surrounding area to the east of here, we'll check out the west. Radio every half-hour, and we'll meet back here in four." Benson ordered, unable to give up so easily.

*

The grayed light filtering through the trees did nothing to make Sam feel any better about their current situation. She could hear the search parties all around, some of the teams had long since gotten ahead of her. It was only the fact that they weren't sure of where she was at that moment that she continued to elude them. Sam still had no illusions about staying where they were.

Going on meant they could run right into the enemy. Stopping held similar dangers. Sam continued running, Alahn's frantic thoughts revealing that the girl didn't know what she wanted, either. They'd just have to hope for the best.

She clutched the staff weapon with a desperate grasp. It was all they had, and it wasn't nearly enough. The way her muscles trembled so violently with each step, though, Sam doubted whether they could use the weapon if it came down to it. She wouldn't be surprised if she collapsed at any moment.

//We need to rest.// Alahn stated needlessly. They both already knew that.

**We can't stop.**

Her words seemed to challenge some unknown force, and Sam felt herself begin to fall.

As she began to make the inevitable descent to the ground below, it took both of them precious moments to realize it had been the ground that had given way, and not her legs. Both of her feet were well through the newly created hole before they knew what was happening. Sam clawed at the earth in front of her, ignoring the staff weapon as it clattered beside her, digging her fingers into the loamy ground. The soil continued to crumble away beneath her, and her weakened grip was no match for the pull of gravity.

*

Teal'c sat protectively by Daniel's prostrate form. Terak had used the hand device on him in his attempt to persuade them to assist in Major Carter's retrieval. They had been less than cooperative. Even so, a vocume device now sat in the corner of their cell, recording audio.

Terak had said that they would receive more food and water as soon as they helped him.

Teal'c eyed the device with contempt. It was there in case they changed their minds, so they could record a message for Major Carter to return. But it also made it impossible to speak without the enemy overhearing their words. A force field surrounding the device prevented them from doing anything to dismantle it.

He had to wonder what spurred this Goa'uld on. Terak was obviously more devoted to his brother than Goa'uld ever let themselves be to another. But that did not explain the complete fanaticism with which he conducted his search. Anyone else would have given up long ago, assured in the destruction of what they sought. Teal'c was certain that there was more to it than just finding the whereabouts of Tralik.

What it was, however, he could not begin to guess.

Teal'c noticed O'Neill waving to get his attention. The Colonel waved him over to the opposite corner of the vocume. Both sat with their back to the device. Terak had said that it only recorded audio, but they knew better than to be trusting.

"What do you think?" O'Neill asked him in a hoarse whisper.

"Terak seeks something more than his brother." Teal'c replied in an equally quiet voice.

"Yeah, I figured that myself. What do you think it is, weapons?"

"I am unsure. Whatever he seeks seems to be of great importance."

O'Neill was silent for a few moments. "How's Daniel doing?"

"He is resting, but does not appear to have been greatly harmed by the ribbon device." Terak had been relatively gentle to Daniel Jackson, obviously not wanting to kill him. Teal'c guessed the Goa'uld thought that he would be the strongest bargaining chip he had to get Major Carter back.

Teal'c continued, his frustration just creeping into his words. "We should try to escape ourselves."

"Ain't gonna happen. That Gould's got this place locked up tighter than a can of sardines. We'd never get out of here, and even if we did, the outside's crawling with jaffa."

"I do not enjoy inaction." Teal'c responded. He knew that escaping themselves would be virtually impossible, but he felt he had to do something. Sitting and waiting while a Goa'uld threatened the lives of his friends was not how Teal'c preferred to be spending his time.

"I know what you mean, but there's not much else we can do right now."

*

Alahn woke up in a lot of pain. Everything seemed to hurt, causing tears to well up in her still-shut eyes. She didn't dare move, even to extricate her face from the damp dirt it was partially buried in. Sam was just starting to come to herself, more out of it than Alahn had been.

**Where are we?**

//Underground. We fell, remember?// Alahn finally opened her eyes, not that she could tell. It was pitch black.

She was beat, both of them were. Keeping her eyes open, especially when there was nothing to see, just didn't hold any appeal. Even beyond the stings of cuts and bruises, she could feel the ache in her muscles. Maybe if she just closed her eyes, she could get the rest she craved.

Just as consciousness was about to leave them both again, Alahn remembered their predicament, shocking them both awake. They couldn't rest yet.

She should probably roll over, but was hesitant. The pain was settling down to more manageable levels, and she didn't want to aggravate anything. But they couldn't stay there forever, could they? Not very likely. How long had they been out for? Did the servants know where they were?

Alahn moved to push herself up with her left arm, feeling her muscles trembling from the simple act, and quickly found that to be a big mistake. She yelped in surprise at the throb of pain that shot through her arm. Rolling onto her right side, she cradled the offending limb to her body.

**Definitely broken.** Sam supplied. **If that's it, we were supremely lucky.**

//Supremely.// Alahn returned wryly. Sure didn't feel like a blessing. But then again, the pain might help to keep her awake.

After rolling onto her back, left arm still draped across her front, Alahn pushed herself up into a sitting position. Staying there for a moment, she waited for her brain to stop the swimming sensation. It took a few minutes, but the dizzy feeling finally dissipated.

//Now what?// Alahn wondered, looking up for the hole that they had come through. She thought she saw a muted bright spot up above, but there was no shaft of light as she had assumed there would be. The sun had been almost ready to make its appearance, so there should have been sufficient light to filter down.

**There must be something covering the hole,** Sam supplied, adding after a moment, **or it's not daylight out anymore.**

Well, it didn't matter anyway. It wasn't like they were going to get out the same way that they came in. Assuming they got out at all, that is.

Sam just mentally sighed, too emotionally exhausted to argue with Alahn's dour thoughts.

She shifted in preparation to stand up, her foot knocking against something. There came the distinct sound of metal clanking against stone. She toed the object again: this time it did not move, held in place by whatever was behind it. Leaning forward, Alahn scrabbled blindly for what was before her, grasping the cool hilt of the staff weapon.

**Should have known that was nearby.** Sam said, just recognizing the very faint buzzing in her body as she reacted to the naquadah that powered the weapon.

For all that she had done to make Sam keep the weapon, Alahn couldn't come up with a reason to keep it now. Especially with a broken arm. In an act of frustration, she grabbed the weapon with her good hand and slung it as far as she could manage. Which wasn't very far, she was forced to admit. The clatter as it skidded across stray rocks and dirt was therapeutic, though.

**We need to find something to stabilize your arm with.** Sam informed her, snapping them both back into the moment.

Easier said than done. Alahn grumbled as she began the painful process of standing, having to switch between cradling her arm with her good one, and using her good hand to push herself up. That would have been bad enough, but her legs also felt like jelly and she felt herself stumbling to remain upright. When she finally did manage to get up, she wasn't sure how to proceed. Just where did you go when you couldn't see where you were going?

Alahn decided that forward was as good a place to start as any. The going was slow as she took cautious steps, trying to keep from falling over. Sweat was beading on her forehead already. It wouldn't do to trip over a stone or something and fall down. Even with her careful pace, she found herself slipping precariously over loose rocks, every time she jerked to keep balance aggravated her arm.

"I'm tired of this." Alahn sighed after several minutes of walking, breathing rather heavily. She had had quite enough of everything. From being captured by the servants in the first place, to getting a creature inside of her head, to all of this running, it was too much.

**We can't stop now.**

//I'm almost beyond caring. Let them come and find us, at least then we won't have to run anymore.// she whined, but couldn't bother herself to care about the childish tone she took.

Alahn still cared, though, even if she didn't want to admit it. She didn't want to get caught again. When he had used that device on her, it had hurt so much, and she could only stand there and endure it. Fear of going back was the only thing keeping her on her feet. But it was only by a thread.

**You don't really want that.** Sam's thoughts held a pleading quality. Alahn felt Sam's fear for her friends redoubling. They could already be too late to help them.

"Don't tell me what I want!" Alahn cried out in frustration. The words echoed throughout wherever they were, revealing just how massive the hole they were in must be. Her helplessness seemed to boil over. "It's you're fault I'm even in this mess. Maybe before the demon Terak would have killed me. Now I won't get such mercies. I'm tired of listening to you!"

**Alahn...** Sam couldn't think of anything to say, because essentially, Alahn was right.

That made Alahn smile. Finally, she was the one that was correct. It made her happy beyond belief. If Sam were another person, rather than being inside of her head, she would have stuck her tongue out at her in victory. She held the power. At that moment she was no longer the clueless one just along for the ride.

She hated being so ignorant. Even if it was wrong, she had always had an idea of what to do in the past. This situation was so unlike anything she had ever been in, though, that she just wasn't sure what to do. Sam had prompted her, getting them this far, and Alahn had to admit that she resented it.

She didn't like having to look to someone else for survival. It was almost like being controlled.

Alahn stopped in her tracks, perplexed, as she felt Sam suddenly fill with remorse. She was completely unprepared for such regret. The feeling only seemed to grow, and Alahn didn't know what to do.

##

//Stop it, you demon!//

**I'm not a demon.** Jolinar told the Nasyan for the umpteenth time.

//Stop!// Goran demanded. Even after all these days, he continued to fight her furiously.

**I have explained my situation to you several times. I cannot leave you yet.**

//Please.// he changed from ordering to begging almost instantly. It broke Jolinar's heart.

**I am sorry, but I cannot do as you ask.**

//I beg of you.//

Jolinar wiped away the tear that fell from her eye, glad that there was no one around to justify it to. It hurt her to do this to him, but there was no other way. She had to hide... just a little longer.

##

Alahn stood frozen, unable to process this new information easily. The shame Sam felt threatened to overwhelm her.

**I... I tried not to force you to do anything.** Sam explained.

Alahn was lost for words. She hadn't been forced into anything. But still, her residual anger made her not want to care how Sam felt. She wanted to be happy that she felt so terrible. But the emotional pain was too great, Sam had convinced herself that she had crossed a line she had never wanted to approach, and Alahn couldn't help but feel guilty.

//I know. You didn't. I wanted to escape just as much as you did, it's just that from the start it never looked very promising, and only got worse the further we went. I don't know how much more of this I can take.// Alahn explained, trying to allay Sam's doubts. Still angry, Alahn bent down and picked up the first stone that she came in contact with. Ignoring her arm, she chucked the rock, hoping that it would feel better than throwing the staff had.

She listened to it whistle softly through the air. It struck something, and a deep, hollow sounding reverberation filled her ears.

**What on Earth?** Sam questioned, ignorant of the misnomer in the phrase, the puzzle making them both forget their current discussion.

//It sounds metal, whatever it is.// Big and metal. She began forward, following the rock's path while the tone was still fading into nothingness. Both of them were extremely curious as to what it could be.

Alahn let out a startled grunt as she ran into the unyielding metal object. Her arm definitely didn't appreciate the action. Once she recovered sufficiently, she knocked on it a couple times with her fist. The muted clanks did nothing to tell her what it was. She walked around it, holding her hand against the semi-smooth surface. Small fissures covered the object, making designs she was unable to tell.

Her hand came into contact with a rectangular protrusion. Tracing it, Alahn felt several small rectangles grouped together, raised symbols on each.

**A control pad?** Sam mused. An image of a fat, wedge shaped flier hurtling through space came to her mind.

//It's a ship?// Alahn asked, using the word that Sam had attached to the object. She was certainly no expert on these things, never having seen one for herself, but something told Alahn that underground wasn't where these things belonged.

**I think so. Press the second button from the bottom on the right.**

She did as she was told, and a hiss issued from in front of her. Alahn waved her good arm before her, the metal that had once been there was now gone. Cautiously, she made her way in, feeling her way with her good arm. The floor was slanted, forcing her to walk against one wall. Sam provided her with a basic idea of the layout of the ship, and told her that the cockpit would be the best place to go.

*

As Daniel came to, his first thought was that he was no longer enamored by all the passing out and confusion he had been privy to recently. It was almost as depressing as the fact that he was still in the cell on Terak's planet, something he wasn't happy to learn as he opened his eyes. Slowly making his way to a sitting position, he noticed Jack and Teal'c sitting in the far corner, talking quietly about something.

Their subdued voices were a strange reminder that he was alone again. Daniel was still ready to hear Sam's thoughts and ideas run through his head. But they didn't, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. Sure he liked being all his own again, no longer having to share his essence with someone else. That connection, though, was oddly comforting. It was nice to have someone to confide in, secrets and lies an impossibility. He knew he could never quite achieve the same openness with a separate person.

Well, he'd just have to figure it out later.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked.

"Shhh!" Jack warned sharply as he turned his head around. He pointed to the opposite corner he and Teal'c were situated in. Daniel followed the gesture and saw the vocume nestled there.

"Oh." He replied knowingly. Bits of their last session with Terak floated up into his memory. They had refused to help him, he got angry, they continued to refuse, and it got hazy from there.

Daniel made his way to where the others sat, careful not to aggravate his head. The movement was difficult for his weary limbs, but he did manage to slide over. They made room for him, all three facing away from the device.

"How's your head?" Jack asked.

"How do you think?" Daniel responded, realizing he was a bit too loud. He tried again, softer this time. "How do you think?"

"Woah, Bessy. No need to bite."

No, there probably wasn't, but Daniel didn't feel all that hospitable at the moment. "Any news on Sam?"

"We have heard nothing." Teal'c responded. In this case, no news was definitely good news. It at least meant that Terak's men hadn't found her, though it didn't tell them anything else. Daniel knew that the moment he did have her, Terak wouldn't hesitate to begin his gloating again.

Which left him to wonder, why continue this?

"Doesn't he know that we're not going to tell him anything, whether we know it or not?" Daniel asked in a whisper.

"Just hope he doesn't come to realize that anytime soon." Jack warned.

Daniel's brain wasn't quite up to speed yet, so he could only look at Jack dubiously.

"Our situation will only worsen when Terak understands that we will be of no assistance to him in his endeavors." Teal'c explained. Of course, Daniel mentally kicked himself for not being able to put that one together. If they weren't any help to Terak, there'd be no reason for him to keep them alive. Daniel wasn't stupid, he had already realized that, he just sort of forgot in his hazy condition.

"Right. So, what do we do now?"

"Sit here and hope that Terak doesn't completely lose it before Carter can find help." Jack replied.

*

Sam had control again, since ships were one of her specialties. Well, turning them on, at least. They had just made their way into the cockpit. Fallen would have been more apt. With the slant of the floors, and the unexpected situation of the hatch being open, they sort of slipped through the hole, crashing against the bulkhead. It certainly hadn't been the best thing for a broken arm, especially one that wasn't immobilized, or supported by anything.

She had to wait several minutes for the pain to die down again before she could even begin to think of standing herself up. It really would help if she could see. Sam hadn't been in a Goa'uld cargo ship very often, so remembering the exact layout of the controls wasn't easy. She ran her hand over the panel, hoping that the shape of the buttons would help her remember more clearly.

They were both startled when her progress was halted by something lying across the panel.

//What's that?// Alahn wondered. Sam didn't have any idea, only that it was hard and slightly cool to the touch. She continued her search, ignoring the obstacle, and pressed a series of buttons when she was pretty sure she had found the engine switch. A deep whirring grew sickly into silence as the engines started up. Sam frowned to herself, the engines didn't sound in good shape, but she couldn't complain as the lights came on.

She couldn't help but jump back from the skeleton draped over the controls. One of the arms lay over the panel, the other 3 were either hanging to the side or broken off from the skeleton that sat at the chair. When Sam had regained control of the shock coursing through her system, Alahn still not quite sure what to make of things, she noticed the tiny vertebrae wrapped around the deceased alien's neck.

What got her even more was that she couldn't sense the naquadah that should have leeched into the bones as the Goa'uld decayed, or something. No matter how long it had been here, the mineral simply couldn't disappear.

//You know what that is?// Alahn questioned, referring to the large alien skeleton.

**You don't?** Sam was taken aback. Shouldn't Alahn know what these things were? Her people lived on the planet. **You mean you've never seen them before?**

//Never. The demon Terak brought us here when my great grandmother was still a child.// Alahn offered up as way of an explanation.

Another skeleton sat in the far corner, the head broken off. Sam figured that they had found Terak's survivors. Well, they used to be survivors. She wondered just how many skeletons there were laying around down there.

//Um, is it supposed to sound like that?//

Sam listened for a moment before she heard the hum. It sounded even sicker than before, oscillating in pitch, but determinedly getting higher and higher.

**No.** Sam frantically pressed the controls, trying to shut down the engine. It wouldn't respond. There wasn't anything else to do, so Sam crouched behind the panel. She remembered that Tel'taks were designed to funnel explosions in the engine away from the ship itself. With this knowledge, she knew she'd be safer in the cockpit, which was the farthest point from the engines, than outside of the ship where the heat and falling rocks would surely get them.

She plugged her ears as the noise turned painful. The explosion was loud, and the ship lurched forward so suddenly that Sam's head collided with the bulkhead behind her. It was enough to put them both out.

*

Benson saw no other choice. They'd have to go back to the SGC and inform the General that there was no sign of SG-1 in the area. They hadn't even found signs of their attackers. Despite splitting up and circling the immediate vicinity, they had found nothing.

SG-4 stood gathered near the entrance of the cave. It was all they had to say that SG-1 had been on that planet at all. Unfortunately, the cave was just as empty as they had left it.

"Colonel." Holtz got the man's attention.

"What is it, Holtz?"

"I think I hear something." All four of them stood there, cocking their ears.

"I hear it." Sargent Connor stated, receiving a raised hand from Colonel Benson as he continued to listen for the noise. It could easily be his ears playing tricks on him, but he thought he could hear a very distant, high pitched whine.

And it was getting higher.

"Get down!" he ordered, knowing from experience that such a sound never meant good things. The team took cover behind various outcroppings, pushing themselves as close to the canyon walls as they could.

A muted, but powerful, explosion sounded. The ground beneath shook with the force of the blast, and Benson could only watch as loose rocks began bouncing down the walls.

"Stay where you are!" he tried to yell over the din of falling debris. Against the walls was the safest place they could be in at the moment, as the bouncing tended to funnel the rocks to the middle. The outcroppings where they were hidden behind further served to protect them.

It felt like forever, but was more like a couple minutes, before the rocks finally stopped falling. The silence was shocking after all the noise just moments ago. Taking a few moments to make sure it was actually over, they started to stand up.

Rocks lay strewn everywhere.

"Is everybody alright?" Benson asked as he dusted himself off. Lieutenant Verelli nodded as he extricated himself from the rocks that had piled up near him. Connor gave a gruff affirmative, coughing from the dust filling the air.

"I'm stuck!" Captain Holtz announced, waving his hand around for attention. A boulder wedged him in tight against the outcropping and the wall of the canyon. He had fallen to a sort of sitting position.

"Are you ok?" Benson asked him again, hoping there weren't broken bones or internal damage of some sort.

"Fine, fine, just stuck. Now, help me up, would ya?" Holtz, remembering his position, and the fact that the man before him held his salvation, quickly added a 'sir' to the end.

With a smile of relief, Benson motioned to the others and they began to pry the rock away from their trapped colleague. Holtz gave a couple of angry shouts as appendages occasionally got pinched, but they quickly had the rock moved and helped him to his feet.

He wobbled a little bit, but quickly gained his balance.

"Sure you're ok?" Benson asked again. "Nothing's broken?"

"Just my pride." The Captain responded sourly as he dusted himself off.

"So, just what the hell was that?" Verelli wondered.

"Sounded like an explosion." Connor replied.

They stood around for a few moments, trying to figure out what to do next.

"Sir, look!" Verelli pointed into the semi-cluttered cave entrance. From the back a very faint light emanated.

Of course, Benson wasn't very keen on the idea of going in there. Then again, it looked like the interior of the cave fared better than the canyon had. "Well, let's see what all the commotion's about."

They were all cautious as they entered the cave, alert for the slightest sign that they should hightail it back out. But nothing was overtly wrong, and they continued down to the back of the cave.

Which wasn't the back anymore.

The explosion of whatever it was had removed some of the rocks to reveal the rest of the cave that neither SG-8 or SG-1 could previously access. Two people could fit through side-by-side. Benson went through first. As he looked up, he saw the light was coming from a hole in the ceiling, a very big hole. Dust floated lazily down the shafts of light.

About 75 feet from where he now stood, a beat up Tel'tak rested at an odd angle, a 20 foot long trench dug behind it. Smoke gushed out of the rear end.

"Wow." Verelli marveled as he stopped beside Colonel Benson.

"I think we found our suspect." Benson stated, the other two finally coming to join them.

"What's a cargo ship doing underground?" Holtz asked, standing a little stiffly. It had to have been down here to begin with, they would have seen it crash if it hadn't.

"I don't know, but I don't think it would just explode randomly. Must've been someone inside." Connor replied, being a little more technically minded than the others in the team.

"Let's go see if our mystery driver is still with us." Benson stated. They walked into the shaft of light, boulders, vegetation, and various other rabble that had made up the ceiling littered the way. The closer they got, the more damage they could make out on the ship. It was severely dented from all the rubble that had fallen on it, the right stabilizer was completely torn away from the ship.

They made it over to the side with the door. It was open a few inches, revealing the dark interior. With some heaves and grunts, they managed to pull it open the rest of the way.

"Verelli, you're with me. Connor, Holtz, check out the rear compartments." Benson stated, running his flashlight over the bulkheads before him. The other pair quickly moved out of sight to the rest of the ship. Benson and Verelli poked their MP-5's into the cockpit before following themselves. But they didn't find any Goa'uld, or jaffa. Just a couple of broken skeletons that had been flung around like rag dolls.

And a girl.

Verelli was kneeling by the crumpled form instantly, searching for a pulse. "She's alive."

Benson spoke into the radio on his vest. "Holtz, report."

"There are a bunch of those alien skeletons scattered around. We also found a sarcophagus, but it's been dismantled." The Captain replied.

"Dismantled? Destroyed in the explosion, you mean?"

"No, sir. Someone took it apart, got a bunch of weird writing on it."

Fascinating, really. "We got a survivor up here, a girl. Come back, we're going home now."

"Understood, we're on our way."

"Can you wake her up?" Benson asked Verelli.

The lieutenant shrugged, then tapped the girl's cheek lightly. Nothing happened at first, but finally she groaned and turned her head aside slightly.

"That's it," he encouraged, "just a little more."

Neither of them were prepared when, all of a sudden, she began flailing and screaming hysterically at them. Verelli held her shoulders down, Benson restraining her feet. She screamed as if they were killing her.

"What's going on, Colonel?" Connor asked hurriedly as he entered the cockpit.

"Calm down, we're not going to hurt you!" Verelli told her.

"Easy, easy. You're safe, ok?" Benson was surprised, but not at all ungrateful, as she began to calm down. He thought he saw her head droop for a moment.

"Colonel Benson?" All the men jumped back in surprise, grabbing their guns in response to the resonating voice. As easily as they could tell that it was a symbiote, they could hear the fatigue in her voice.

"How do you know my name?" Benson asked, guardedly. No one had called him by his name in front of her.

"It's me, Major Samantha Carter." The symbiote replied.

She was a snake, he knew that, but she was in Doctor Jackson. This couldn't be her. Benson stared at the girl for a few moments, looking for a hint in her posture and appearance. He did remember how determined she could be, remembering one eventful mission SG-1 had accompanied them on. He though he saw that same determination now. Was it possible that this could be her? "What about the rest of your team?"

Maybe if he played along, he'd get some answers.

"Prisoners of a Goa'uld called Terak. We need to go rescue them immediately." She started to get up as she spoke, urgency lacing her words. It was really hard to doubt her veracity.

He forced himself to maintain a professional hesitance.

Benson noticed how she barely moved her left arm, wincing every time it did happen to shift. The darkness made it hard to tell, but he thought it looked several shades too dark, as well as being noticeably swollen.

"Broken?" he asked.

"Yeah." Verelli helped her up the rest of the way as Benson took off his jacket. With it he tied the girls arm against her chest, eliciting stifled groans of pain from the symbiote. It was crude, but it was the best he could do with what he had, and was far better than nothing.

"We'll go back home and have you checked out." Benson finally decided. The General would be better suited to figure out how to continue on this. And if she was who she said she was, she'd understand that.

Her expression showed that she wanted to argue, to persuade him otherwise. If it was his team, he knew he wouldn't want to waste any time, either. But apparently she realized his situation, and lowered her head in defeat. "Fine, but we need to hurry."

"So," Benson began, uncomfortably, "I don't believe we've been introduced to the young lady." He figured it would be a good test to see if she was Major Carter. It wasn't foolproof, he realized, a Goa'uld could pretend to be its host if it wanted. There was a slight chance that if it was an imposter, it would screw up and outright refuse or something.

Her head bowed slightly. "I'm Alahn." The girl said with a small grimace.

"Nice to meet you, Alahn. What do you say we get out of this stuffy hole in the ground?"

"Please." Alahn replied gratefully. They helped Alahn to her feet, and escorted her out of the ship. It didn't go unnoticed by him how she leaned considerably against Verelli. Her head lolled forward and she simple let herself be led out.

Their progress was cut short as an energy bolt seared into the ground several feet ahead of them, kicking up dirt.

"Move no further!" a voice called from high above. Three jaffa stood around the edge of the hole.

"No!" Alahn hissed dejectedly.

"Friends of yours?" Sargent Connor asked playfully.

"Suggestions?" Benson wondered.

"We can take them, sir." Captain Holtz replied immediately.

"Surrender now!" the jaffa called down impatiently.

"Ok. Alahn, you take cover by the ship. We'll deal with these upstarts. Go!" the four members of SG-4 brought their weapons up, Benson pausing only to push Alahn towards relative safety. They began firing on the jaffa, moving towards better positions.

Staff blasts soon came in response, but SG-4 was more accurate. It took some fancy maneuvering, but they managed to neutralize their attackers.

"Ok, let's get back to the Stargate, on the double."

There went any chance of surprise.

*

General Hammond sat in his office, staring blankly at the papers before him. When SG-1 hadn't returned or contacted the SGC in over a day, he had known something was up. There shouldn't have been anything to go wrong, not really. But leave it to them to go digging up trouble wherever they went.

So after attempting radio contact, he had sent SG-4 to scout the area and determine the whereabouts of SG-1. Waiting for them to report back was tying his nerves in knots. Were they caught up in another rockslide? If that were the case, someone from SG-4 would have sent a message long ago to let everyone know what was going on. The only explanation that Hammond could come up with for the many hours that SG-4 had been on the planet was that SG-1 wasn't in the area. Where they were, and why, he had no idea.

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when the 'gate began to make the telltale sounds of an incoming wormhole. Despite his considerable size, he was out of his chair and on his way to the Control Room even as the warning klaxons went off. The event horizon flared into life as he entered the room. The iris spiraled shut automatically, just in case.

"Are you getting anything?" Hammond asked impatiently.

"Yes, sir, SG-4's remote code." The technician responded dutifully.

"Open the iris." It really didn't need to be said, but was anyway. Not knowing what situation SG-4 might be returning in, Hammond remained at the window, hoping for two teams to show themselves.

SG-4 came through the wormhole, along with a girl that he couldn't identify. He noticed her arm was tied to her chest by Colonel Benson's jacket, and a noticeable layer of grime covered all of them. But there was no SG-1. When it was apparent that no one else was coming through the Stargate, Hammond made his way down to intercept them.

"That was amazing!" the girl exclaimed, eyeing the facility wondrously. Even through her obvious excitement, the General could tell the girl was fatigued, her movements sluggish and subdued. She looked ready to collapse at any moment.

"Colonel, report." Hammond addressed Benson, wanting anything they had on SG-1 immediately, as well as being curious about their guest. Not seeing them only fueled his worry.

"Well, sir, we did a complete sweep of the area and only found one of SG-1's packs in the cave. We watched some footage from the video camera we found, but it didn't tell us anything we hadn't already concluded. There were signs of battle, staff blasts, sir. We even saw the jaffa for ourselves. An explosion opened up the cave further and we found this girl inside." Benson hesitated. "She claims to be Major Carter."

Hammond just stood as he was for a few moments, the information decoding itself. The statement brought a lot of questions to mind. The first one he voiced wasn't necessarily the most pressing one. "How'd you get inside the cave if it was sealed?"

The girl's face flushed with embarrassment. "We fell." As if cued, she continued after a pause. "Sir."

This was complicated. "Report to the infirmary, we'll continue while you're being checked out."

*

"Doctor?" General Hammond questioned Janet, his gaze drifting to the unconscious figure on one of the beds.

"She fell asleep during the examination." She explained. It hadn't taken long after the girl, Alahn, had laid down on the bed for her to lose the battle for consciousness. Considering everything Janet had found from a basic exam, the broken arm, along with fading burn marks from a ribbon device, it really wasn't much of a surprise.

He stared at the sleeping girl as he spoke. "Do we know whether or not she really is Major Carter."

Janet was already certain. The arguments she had received from the symbiote in the beginning of the exam, pleading that the rest of SG-1 didn't have time for such nonsense, had convinced her it was Sam. Tangible proof, however, didn't exist, yet. "We've taken a DNA sample from the symbiote, and it's being compared to previous samples we acquired from Major Carter. We should know within the hour."

"What's her condition?" his question encompassed the two beings.

"There are obvious signs of torture, marks from a ribbon device. Alahn's left arm's broken, we've set it and put a cast on. CAT scans show no signs of concussion, which is lucky considering the reports of the explosion I've heard. Along with numerous abrasions, she's dehydrated and obviously hasn't eaten much recently. I've started her on an IV to replenish sugars and fluids. Aside from that, there's really nothing else to do." She responded, using the girl's name that she had been told. Janet was almost out of breath after giving the lengthy report.

"Can we wake her up?"

She wanted to help SG-1 just as much as the General did, but she had a patient to think of as well. "I don't think you quite grasp the situation, sir. Whether this is Sam or not, she's been tortured, malnourished, and on the run for who knows how long. If she hadn't fallen asleep, I would have sedated her myself."

"SG-1 could be in a lot of trouble right now." He reminded Janet.

As if she needed reminding. She understood full well what could be going on at that very moment. They were all her friends. Simply put, with the adrenaline having left her system, she doubted the girl could string much of a sentence together, much less explain the location of SG-1. "I know, sir."

Maybe in a couple hours, Janet decided.

"Very well, doctor. Notify me with the results of the test, and let me know when you deem her fit to talk."

"Of course, sir."

"SG-4?" he continued.

"Just some minor cuts and bruises, nothing serious." Janet shook her head slightly at that one. They had been caught in the middle of a sizeable rockslide and had come out with nothing more serious than a bone bruise.

The luck of the SGC could be rather peculiar at times.

*

Sam was calm the moment consciousness began to return to her. The sounds and smells of the infirmary wafting to her were comforting. She had survived yet another mission on SG-1.

Opening her eyes, she expected to see one or all of her teammates nearby, awaiting her consciousness. But all she saw were the blurs of various medical staff going about their duties. She started to get worried.

Then she felt Alahn begin to stir, and everything came back to her.

Sam sat up so fast that the room began to spin, forcing Sam to close her eyes. An arm grabbed her shoulder, keeping her from falling back down on the bed below her. As the rescuer began talking, Sam immediately recognized her friend's voice.

"It's ok. You're in the SGC." Janet soothed, trying to ease her back down.

While that fact would normally be enough to calm her nerves, it didn't give Sam any solace. She batted Janet's hand aside. "How long have I been asleep?"

Janet flinched at the accusatory tone. "Almost three hours, Sam."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You needed to rest. You still do." Janet tried to persuade her.

Alahn agreed, but Sam wasn't ready to back down so easily. "They're still on the planet. I should've been doing something to help them."

Sam knew her argument was shot out of the sky as soon as Janet sighed and shook her head. "And what, pray tell, do you think you could have done for them when you got back here?"

"I don't know, but SOMETHING needs to be done."

"And we'll do whatever we can, Sam." Janet assured.

It just occurred to Sam, remembering the previous doubts that everyone seemed to have about her. "You believe that I am who I say I am?"

"DNA testing confirmed it for anyone who wasn't sure. Excuse me one moment, General Hammond wanted to be informed when you woke up."

It was only a few minutes until the General entered the infirmary. He looked over at Sam and gave her a brief smile.

"Good to see you're ok, Major."

Ok was very relative. She and Alahn wouldn't mind sleeping for the indeterminate future, but Sam wasn't about to let him know that. "Thank you, sir."

"What's the rest of SG-1's current situation?" he asked, getting straight to business.

"The Goa'uld that captured us, Terak, used to be a System Lord, or some sort of equivalent. He ruled with his brother, who went missing a long time ago. Basically, sir, he captured us and believes that we know where his brother is. We kept telling him we didn't know, but he wouldn't listen." Sam's voice caught as she remembered being forced to leave Daniel, and being certain that he would never be seen again after that.

//I hope it's not too late.// Alahn announced. Sam felt her discomfort. Alahn didn't want to think of them dead, or the various unpleasant ways they could become so, even if she didn't know any of SG-1 personally. She did have Sam's own feelings and memories of them, which made Alahn dislike the thought of their suffering even more.

**We'll have to go back there, to help them find the base.** Sam's statement was actually a question, testing the waters. She knew she wanted to go back, there was no way she could just leave her friends like that. But she needed to know that Alahn was willing, too. If Alahn refused to go back, Sam didn't know what she would do. She couldn't force her, but she certainly couldn't just sit idly by, either.

There was a moment of hesitation in which Sam felt her hope start to crumble.

//I certainly don't like the idea of going back,// Alahn began, //but I want to help them.//

*

"These clothes are most unusual." Alahn commented as she picked at the camouflaged jacket she now wore, avoiding the cast and sling she had been fitted with. The clothing was heavy, like nothing she had ever worn before. Her people had always lived in warm climates where nothing more than simple garments were ever needed. These... BDUs weren't very comfortable.

"They grow on you." Benson replied offhandedly.

She didn't think that she wanted these clothes to 'grow' anywhere near her.

**He wasn't being literal. It's just a figure of speech.** Sam informed her, the mood momentarily lightened.

Alahn's focus was captured by the trundling MALP entering the Gate Room below. She had never seen anything mechanical before the cargo ship, an event that had been too short for her to get enamored over the enormity of it all. It fascinated her to think that a person could make something like... that. A collection of scraps of metal that could perform various tasks.

It pleased her to no end to imagine her people building similar machines someday.

When the General authorized the Stargate to dial the planet, Alahn watched the process with the same look of awe as she had when SG-4 had used the Stargate. But the show in this facility was much better, in her opinion. Steam rose from the clamps that powered the 'gate, and the technician announced the engagement of each symbol. All this added to the splendor of simply watching this giant relic turn seemingly of its own accord.

She jumped back from the water-like explosion, the sudden rush of energy shocking even after having seen it once before. Alahn had been sure the first time that they were all going to die in a horrible flood, a thought that Sam had found most amusing. She knew it wasn't water, Sam's thoughts and assurances had told her that, something about wormholes and event horizons, concepts which Alahn had absolutely no basis for. It had been cold, reminding her of the time her family had traveled to the great sea.

Alahn was broken from her reverie as the MALP began its trip up the ramp. It would tell them whether it was safe to return or not, or so she had been told. All the teams involved stood around or near the Control Room, prepared for instant action, if possible. As the machine was sucked through the rippling surface, Alahn focused her attention on the screen that Sam told her would show what the MALP saw.

"The MALP will arrive in 3... 2... 1. Receiving MALP telemetry." The technician announced, a video feed appearing on the monitor.

Two jaffa stood near the machine, trying to make out its purpose. The camera panned around to show that they were the only ones around. When the view returned to the jaffa, they finally decided the probe before them was a threat, and brought their staff weapons to bear. Alahn flinched and gasped in surprise as the energy bolt sizzled towards the camera, the view replaced by static.

"We can take out those two easily, General." Benson stated confidently, given command of this mission by General Hammond.

"Very well, you have a go. You are all to come back in one piece." Hammond nodded at the Colonel.

"Yes, sir!" Benson motioned everyone to the Gate Room. Alahn tagged along behind, completely unarmed. It had been decided by everyone that she would not be involved in the actual fighting, even though Sam was a competent soldier. There didn't seem any need to possibly hurt her emotionally by thrusting her into the heart of battle. A decision that Alahn was more than happy to abide by.

Benson came to a stop at the top of the ramp. He pulled a grenade from his vest. The jaffa's delayed response spoke to their lack of training for these situations. They were probably still standing in the very same spots, riveted on the open wormhole as they wondered what might be next. Even if they weren't caught in the explosion, the ensuing chaos should provide just enough cover for his team to rush through and secure the other side. He pulled the pin and timed the throw, using just the right amount of force to have it land where he wanted when it came out the other side.

After a timed count, the four members of SG-4 rushed through the Stargate, guns at ready. Alahn could only watch and wait until, a few moments later, the rest of them made their way to the other side.

*

"My lord." The jaffa said after he entered the throne room, bowing his head.

"What is it?" Terak replied sharply. He was angry. Just like with the inhabitants of this planet, he was getting nowhere with these humans. The Tok'ra had even escaped his clutches!

He could feel the jewel of his ribbon device begin to glow with his rage.

"We have discovered the Tel'tak of our lord Tralik. An explosion has unearthed it."

Could it really be? After all this time, had he finally succeeded?

"And what of my brother... and the sarcophagus?" The sarcophagus, he couldn't wait to feel its soothing embrace again. After the decline of his empire almost all of his own sarcophagi had been captured or destroyed by opposing forces closing in. Even his personal sarcophagus had been sabotaged, no doubt by a servant of Sokar.

But they left him alive, laughing openly at his misfortune.

So, he had been centuries without the healing powers the device contained. The materials necessary to make another were virtually nonexistent. Terak frowned at the thought that he had to change hosts often, like the Tok'ra. It did not become a god to switch bodies so. But worse than that had been the withdrawal. There were weeks in the beginning when he had been certain he would die. He, of course, had not, but due to his fits and even quicker temper than usual, several of his jaffa had. Terak survived the sweats and anxiety, but was not completely free of the sarcophagus' pull.

He never would be.

Terak could feel the pull for it every day. The need for it made it all but impossible to maintain a train of thought. But now, he could have it again.

And his brother, the guiding force for his actions. Terak was not a complete fool, he knew that he acted rashly, allowing his emotions to rule him. Tralik had been the one to keep him in line. It was his brother's strategies and his own initiatives that had made their empire so great. Together they made the perfect ruler, both ruthless and cunning. Terak missed that sense of purpose, almost as much as he missed the sarcophagus.

The jaffa's complexion paled noticeably. Whatever he had to say, Terak knew it would not be good. "I am sorry to report, my lord, that remains were found within the ship. Remains of a Goa'uld. And... the sarcophagus has been torn apart, and sullied with the heathen's writing."

"No."

"My lord?" the jaffa was cringing noticeably now, aware of the fate that awaited him. The show of fear, however, did not please Terak as it normally would.

"You are wrong!" It couldn't all just be gone, not after all he had been through. He had torn apart planets!

The jaffa paused a moment, weighing his responses carefully. He could think of nothing to say that would change Terak's mood. "Forgive me, my lord."

Terak felt his right hand burning. His fist was clenched around the ribbon device, the energy it expelled growing with his fury.

"And what of the girl?" he barely managed, his vision blurring with anger.

"I... we do not know." The jaffa took a step back.

He stood several feet from the jaffa. No longer able to hold himself back, he thrust his right arm forward, unleashing the awesome energy at the helpless jaffa. The beam was so focussed, so powerful, that as it slammed into the jaffa's chest, he could hear the cracking of ribs. The jaffa flew across the room, glazed eyes staring at the ceiling from where he came to a stop.

Terak simply stood like that for several moments, panting heavily as his rage began to recede, shot through the device at his now dead victim. He slowly lowered his arm and regarded the corpse coolly. "You are forgiven."

*

Sam stayed in between SG-4 and 6. SG-11 remained at the gate, keeping their point of egress in friendly hands. Jaffa seemed to be everywhere, running between the newly formed hole that she had created, and some other point that had to be the base. But getting there, especially undetected, would be tricky with such a large group.

They kept their distance from the jaffa, but there was always the chance of encountering a stray patrol. Sam was glad that they didn't have to rely solely on her to get where they were going, nothing looked familiar. There really hadn't been the time or the light to see much of anything, not to mention remember it.

Their progress was too slow for Sam's liking. Every moment that ticked by made her all the more painfully aware that Terak could dispose of her friends at any time, if he hadn't already. Going faster wasn't an option, though. It wouldn't matter how quickly they got there if everyone was aware of their presence. Hopefully, as far as the jaffa were concerned, she was the only one on the planet.

It made her and Alahn wonder how they would explain the deaths of the jaffa by the cave due to SG-4.

The sun shining almost directly overhead was not very conducive for skulking around unnoticed. They remained just far enough away to be out of sight from the jaffa, but they could hear their movements and bits of conversation. Obviously, they weren't worried about being attacked. Or perhaps, more accurately, they were more afraid of something else. Sam began to realize that they were rushing, jogging instead of walking. And their words were laced with apprehension.

//What are they doing?// Alahn wondered. Sam didn't have a clue. All she knew was that the jaffa were in a hurry.

Benson held up a fist, bringing the party to a stop. He pointed to a section of forest that was slightly thinner than the rest. The jaffa could just be seen walking past. The two of them were holding something between them, going as fast as the weight would allow. Foliage blocking the way made it hard to see, but Sam thought that what they were holding looked distinctly like a piece of sarcophagus. She turned to Benson, trying to see if he noticed the same thing. When he turned to regard her, she could tell by his look that he had.

The only reason she could see for Terak wanting pieces of a useless sarcophagus would be to rebuild it.

His behavior was making more sense to her now. She had thought that the Goa'uld had been very erratic, turning moods and changing ideas on a dime. Sam remembered Daniel's brush with the sarcophagus on Shyla's planet. What were a few days compared to centuries of using the device? After that long, how could one ever get over the loss? And just when did Terak lose his?

Well, it explained partly why he was so adamant about finding his brother. But Terak had also been obsessed with finding Tralik, as well as this sarcophagus apparently. He really wanted to locate him, and alive, even. Sam remembered the skeletons in the ship. It would seem that part of Terak's wish wouldn't come true.

"We have to hurry." Sam whispered to Benson. Terak had found what he was after, he wouldn't need Teal'c or the Colonel or Daniel anymore.

He nodded, and they continued on at a slightly faster pace.

*

Teal'c opened his eyes from kel'no'reem as the cell door slid open. The five jaffa standing there were not at all unexpected. Nor was their command for the three of them to get up. He and O'Neill helped Daniel to his feet, all of them feeling the effects of no food or water coupled with their various injuries.

As the guards marched them down the dim hallway, Teal'c saw a pair of jaffa walk by with a door of a sarcophagus between them, alien writing in black paint covering it. He didn't know what to make of the sight. Turning to O'Neill, he saw the man was as perplexed as he was. Until now, there was absolutely no evidence that Terak had a sarcophagus. But why would they be carrying only a piece?

Apparently their progress had slowed, and Teal'c felt an impatient jaffa prod him in the back with his weapon. Suppressing an angry growl, he readjusted his grip on Daniel and continued on. He couldn't understand what the piece of sarcophagus had meant, and decided to ponder on it as they were lead to the throne room.

Terak stood on the edge of the dais, staring intently at his ribbon device-covered hand. Teal'c tried to read him, but it was difficult for him to tell whether the Goa'uld was happy, or furious. After being forced to their knees, they waited for Terak's attention.

It was several minutes before the Goa'uld raised his head, a victorious smile gracing his lips. "You have failed."

Even Teal'c couldn't help the shocked look that crossed his face. Terak had found Major Carter? From the corner of his eye he could see the looks of concern and anger that Daniel Jackson and O'Neill gave the Goa'uld respectively.

"You have failed." Terak repeated. "Despite your efforts to conceal it, I have found my brother. Dead as he may be." Terak's mood changed from elation to something of grief as he spoke.

"We haven't been trying to hide anything from you! Are you deaf or something?" O'Neill defended.

Teal'c had to fight back the smile of relief that threatened. Major Carter was still free.

"There was an explosion from my brother's ship that led to its finding. An explosion that the Tok'ra caused. Plague me no further with your lies!"

Teal'c's good mood was gone as fast as it had come. If Major Carter was caught within an explosion, then they all might as well be dead right now.

"It's not a lie!" Daniel tried. It was futile, Teal'c knew. Nothing they could say would convince Terak otherwise.

"The dismantling of his sarcophagus resulted in his demise. For this, I shall have retribution." Terak's eyes flashed as he smiled at them.

"What about the Tok'ra?" Daniel suddenly asked as Terak began to raise his hand.

"She will be dealt with when we locate her." Terak replied simply.

O'Neill apparently saw the opportunity this latest news gave them. If she was alive, and free, they had something they could use. "You don't want to kill us."

"Whatever would give you that idea?" Terak asked playfully, lowering his hand and giving O'Neill a quizzical look.

"You kill us now, and say you never find her. Kind of a hollow victory if you ask me. But, you find her and you'll have all of us here lined up in a row. Ducks in a barrel. Monkeys in a tub. It just won't be the same without all of us. Besides, she's the one that got away from you. You can't live with that, can you?" O'Neill led Terak on.

His look made it apparent that he was seriously considering the words. They just had to distract him so that they survived until the rescue team arrived. Teal'c had no doubt that, if Major Carter was still alive, there would be a rescue.

"Your words have merit." Terak began. "However, you assume that I would kill you right now. After all that you have dared to put me through, you shall not be so fortunate. Since all the others are now dead, it shall be you who will pay for the death of my brother."

It wasn't exactly what O'Neill had been hoping for, Teal'c was sure, but it did buy them their time.

*

Benson looked through his binoculars at the scene before him. They had followed the two jaffa all the way to an indiscriminate area of the woods. Trees and foliage blocked their view, but he had seen the jaffa descend down a slope, and then disappear. A white rock nearby reflected the sun.

He waved Alahn up. "Is this the place?"

She took the proffered binoculars and looked through them a bit oddly, the movements telling him that Alahn was in control at the moment. Holding it with one hand was a little awkward, especially to one who had never used them before. When she was satisfied she nodded to him.

"Ok," Benson began in a hushed tone, "Major Sans, you and your team will keep the door open for us." He informed SG-6's leader.

"Yes, sir." Sans returned.

At the moment the area was clear, so they made their way to where the jaffa had vanished. There didn't seem to be anything there, but Alahn assured them that there was a door. To prove the fact, she began tearing at the grass and vines that hung down the slope, the metal underneath beginning to shine through. SG-6 set themselves up near the top of the slope, preparing for any jaffa that might try to return while they were there.

Benson and his team took up tearing away the camouflage to reveal the door beneath and the pad that controlled it. He and his team readied their weapons, nodding for Alahn to open the door. She pressed the correct key, and quickly moved aside.

Benson and Verelli entered first, pointing their zats down opposite directions. They decided to go with the alien guns for the sake of stealth. The hallways were clear as far as they could see, and both signaled so. The rest of SG-4 and Alahn then entered before the door slid shut behind them.

"So, which way?" Benson asked.

"The cell is in that direction." Alahn replied, pointing to the right. They went down the torch-lit corridor, guns at the ready for anything they might encounter. A jaffa stood near a door. He saw the team turn the corner and began to raise his staff weapon, but was too slow. A zat blast rendered him unconscious.

He didn't like the lack of jaffa they had seen so far. "How many jaffa does he have?"

Alahn's head drooped momentarily, and Major Carter responded to his query. "I don't know. He can't have too many. I've never seen more than five or six at one time."

Benson guessed 20, at least. He figured it was a safe number to assume. Not a nice number, especially if they all bore down on them at the same time, but probably the correct amount. Shaking it off for something they'd deal with when the time came, he made sure this was the cell, then slapped the pad to open the door.

Holtz poked his head in the room. "It's empty, Colonel."

"Ok, if they're not in there, then where else would they be?" Connor wondered.

"Probably the throne room." Major Carter replied, pointing back down the hall the way they had come.

That was when several jaffa decided to make their presence known.

*

Daniel watched helplessly from the floor as Jack was held in the grips of the ribbon device. He was in no position to help, and Teal'c, who was in the best shape of all of them, was being held back by two jaffa.

A jaffa rushed through the open doorway. "We are under attack!"

Terak ceased his ministrations, Jack falling limply to the ground. "What?"

"There are intruders in the compound, my lord."

"Who?" the Gould was silent, the sounds of staff blasts and zat discharges, mixed with a few gun reports, just audible.

"It appears to be allies of these ones, my lord. Their dress and armament is identical."

Terak fixed the jaffa with a dangerous look. "What are you doing standing here? Go! Destroy them! Go, go!" He waved the jaffa away, as well as three of the five that stood in the room. They rushed down the hallway to fulfill his bidding.

At that, he grabbed Jack by the collar, lifting him up. "What is this?"

Jack just smiled.

"Answer me!"

"Why? You don't believe us when we tell you the truth." Jack rebutted.

Daniel wasn't sure that it was the wisest thing to be taunting Terak right now, not when rescue was so close. But, that was Jack for you.

Terak roared in anger, throwing Jack across the room. Meanwhile, the sounds of battle were getting louder. He paced the dais distractedly, mumbling under his breath.

"No!" Terak shouted, firing the ribbon device at Teal'c. The two jaffa were just able to dodge away from the blast, but Teal'c was not so fortunate. He collided with the wall behind him, sliding to the ground.

The battle was just outside of the room. One of the jaffa came into view, firing down the hall. A hail of bullets connected with the hapless warrior, and he fell to the ground with a grunt. It wasn't long until the report of staff weapons ceased altogether.

Everyone remained motionless, waiting for whatever was to happen next. A head cautiously peeked around the corner of the doorway, forced to retreat by a staff blast from one of the jaffa. A zat then poked around the corner, and Daniel watched as one of the jaffa crumpled to the ground. The other one rushed to where Jack lay and lifted him up, pressing his staff weapon against his back.

This time when the soldier poked his head around, he stopped short when he saw the new situation before him. It was Colonel Benson of SG-4, Daniel quickly came to realize.

"Surrender yourself now!" Terak bellowed.

Benson stood there, seemingly unable to decide his next move. They were at a standoff, one that didn't look good for them. For Jack, mostly. Terak was smiling again, apparently convinced he had won. Daniel wasn't so sure that was far from the truth.

Something flickered in Benson's eye, but Daniel didn't know what to make of it.

"Ok, I'll surrender." Colonel Benson stated as he stepped into the room. He held his zat up into the air.

Daniel wanted to scream at the guy. Just what was he thinking?

At that moment he heard the jaffa grunt, and Daniel turned just in time to see Teal'c slam his shoulder into the guard's back. The jaffa fell to the ground, his weapon clattering against the stones. Teal'c wasted no time in retrieving the staff weapon.

"Now!" Benson yelled, lowering his weapon and firing at Terak. The Gould activated his personal shield, and the blast was absorbed. At the same time the rest of SG-4 entered and fired several rounds at Terak. They stopped when they realized how useless it was.

"I believe you mentioned something about surrendering." Benson stated.

Terak stood there, his face beet red. "You... I will kill you all!"

"Really?" Jack asked sarcastically, managing to rise to a sitting position. "You and what army?"

"Jack." Daniel warned. In case he didn't realize, Terak did have an army, of sorts. Maybe not a full-fledged army, but he shouldn't be dismissed so readily.

Terak stepped back on the dais and pressed a button on his ribbon device. Transport rings rose from the floor, the Gould giving them one last smile before he disappeared.

"Aw, leaving so soon." Jack feigned disappointment.

"Everyone ok?" Benson asked.

"Well, aside from the mind-numbing headache and the assortment of contusions, I'm just peachy."

Benson shook his head and sighed at Jack's antics.

"We are well enough to procure our freedom." Teal'c answered, more helpful than Jack's reply.

Daniel's attention was then focussed on the girl that came into the room. Alahn, or Sam, was clothed in standard issue fatigues. "Sam!"

She quickly turned in his direction, a smile curving on her lips. "Daniel!" She exclaimed in a higher pitch than normal, the reverberation making the reply oddly amusing. Sam kneeled down beside Daniel and helped him to sit up. "I was worried."

He nodded in agreement. It had also crossed his mind that after she had been forced to leave him he would no doubt be the most useless, in Terak's eyes. Daniel was just as surprised as she was that he hadn't been killed right off. The bright white sling on her arm didn't go long without being noticed. "What happened to you?"

The hiss of radio static cut off her reply. "We're under attack!"

"Major Sans, what's your situation?" Benson immediately replied. Teal'c was helping Jack to his feet, Sargent Connor and Sam assisting Daniel.

"We're pinned down. There's six, maybe eight jaffa out here. Lieutenant Colonel Garner radioed in, the 'gate is being assaulted, too." The static was heavy, but not quite enough to drown out the words, staff weapons and guns audible in the background as well.

"Copy that. We've got SG-1 and are on our way back." Benson assured, then turned his attention to those in the room. "Let's get going."

He holstered the zat and readied his MP-5.

They rushed down the halls back to the exit, their progress slowed slightly by their wounded charges. Daniel could tell that Colonel Benson didn't like that fact, he wasn't exactly bustling with joy over it either. He tried to move as fast as he could, but there just wasn't much he could do about the weariness from his assorted wounds.

The second Benson opened the door, the sounds of staff blasts and guns exchanging fire filled the air. SG-6 was lying on the rise, using the slope as natural protection. Benson and his team crawled up the hill, Teal'c following with his captured staff weapon. They joined in the battle against the encroaching jaffa while Daniel, Jack, and Sam remained at the bottom of the slope.

Sam took the opportunity to hand her canteen to Daniel. He took the proffered water and drank deeply, then handed the remnants to Jack. While the other man drank his fill, Daniel decided to get some information. "So who's here to rescue us?" He had to yell over the noise of battle.

"SG-4, 6, and 11. SG-11 is holding the 'gate... or trying to." Sam replied.

Daniel wondered how SG-11 was faring against its own attack.

"Where do you think he ran off to?" Jack suddenly asked, referring to Terak.

"Hard to say, sir. Those rings could have been connected to another facility, or maybe even a ship."

A ship, that would be just what they needed right now. Apparently Jack was thinking the same thing. "A ship?"

"It's all supposition at this point. He could be just about anywhere." Sam replied with a shrug.

They heard a grunt as one of the defenders fell down the slope. He stopped as he ran up against Daniel. Daniel pushed away the moment he saw the person. Part of the man's face and shoulder were seared off.

"Oh my god." Sam mouthed, the sounds of battle carrying away the actual words.

"He's still alive!" Daniel was astonished to see the slow rise and fall of the man's chest. In his shock, all he could do was sit there and stare at the man.

Sam took action, crawling partway up the slope. "Colonel Benson! We need a med-kit down here!" she shouted to be heard.

Ducking out of harms way, Benson began to unclip his pack. "Jesus Christ!" he stated at the sight of the wounded man.

Sam took the pack and made her way towards Daniel. "Lieutenant Bradly, can you hear me?" She bent her head down to his ear, Daniel following suit. He could just hear the low moan. Sam opened the pack and pulled out the med-kit, taking all the gauze. "Daniel, I'm going to need your help."

Nodding dumbly, he held up Bradly's head as she showed him. Applying some sort of ointment to a bandage, something that Daniel almost had to fight the urge to laugh at, she gingerly applied it to his face. Daniel had to look away, noting that Sam winced as she applied the compress. Bradly cried out in pain, barely audible over the sounds of battle.

Having only one hand to work with, she motioned for Daniel to hold the bandage while she wrapped it with gauze. He felt the bile rising in his chest as he held the bandage in place. Sam didn't bother to keep his eyes uncovered, it wasn't as if he was going to need to use them anyway. She only made sure not to obstruct his nose or mouth, finally tying off the gauze when she was done. After she bandaged his shoulder, Daniel realized that the sounds of weapons discharge had all but ceased.

"What's going on up there?" Jack asked, his raised voice sounding overly loud all of a sudden.

"They retreated." One of SG-6, Captain Weller, replied.

"Well now, that doesn't make much sense." Jack stated.

"Sense or not, I don't think we should wait here for whatever they've got cooking." Captain Holtz retorted, receiving nods from everyone.

"How's Bradly?" Major Sans asked.

"He's alive, for now." Sam answered.

Benson looked around for a moment. "Colonel O'Neill, can you and Teal'c carry Bradly? This smells of a trap, and I'd like as many of my guys ready for action as possible."

"My thoughts exactly." Jack nodded affirmative, he and Teal'c already moving to support Bradly between them.

"Verelli, you help Doctor Jackson." Benson told his lieutenant, who voiced his agreement. With everyone taken care of, they began to make their way towards the 'gate. The active members of SG-4 and 6 encircled the noncombatants, keeping wary eyes on the forest for any signs of attack. The silence of the forest was more than a little unnerving, as if inviting something sinister to break the calmness around them.

*

Major Tepps fired his MP-5 at the jaffa trying to attack their flank. This planet didn't have the best terrain around the 'gate for fighting, there just wasn't much cover to go around. Whatever happened, they couldn't afford to be encroached from the side. Tepps crouched behind the Stargate platform, along with Sargent Adams. Captain Masters and Lieutenant Colonel Garner had found cover behind a scraggly tree and some rocky terrain, respectively.

Eight jaffa were directly ahead of them, using the gentle slope of the terrain, along with the limited natural defenses, to protect themselves from SG-11's fire. At the moment they were at a standoff, neither side gaining or losing. Of course, if it did come down to a war of attrition, the jaffa would no doubt come out the victor. They had only brought so much ammo with them, and staff weapons never ran out of juice.

"Colonel!" Adams cried out, pointing to a point in the sky. Tepps followed the trajectory. He heard the rising whine before he saw the approaching black dots.

Two Death Gliders.

As if they didn't have enough to deal with already. Major Tepps had thought he had felt exposed before, but now he felt absolutely naked. They didn't have anything with them that could take out a Death Glider, much less two of them.

He could just hear Garner radioing the other teams over the roar of staff weapons and the sound of approaching engines. "SG-4, this is Garner, what's your situation?"

Tepps couldn't even begin to dream about hearing the response from his position, instead taking aim at an overzealous jaffa, whittling down their enemy count to seven.

"We have gliders. I repeat, we have gliders! If you want to get your asses through the 'gate, you're going to have to move it!" Garner advised.

"Sir, those gliders are going to mow us down like hay!" Captain Masters stated. It wasn't the best analogy that Tepps had ever heard, but was apt enough. Their cover may be sufficient to thwart frontward fire, but they had virtually no overhead protection, and running just wasn't an option.

"Tell me something I don't know! They're on their way. When SG-4 and 6 get here they'll be in the perfect position to flank the jaffa. If we can hold until then, we should make it!" Garner replied, most of his attention set on firing at the jaffa.

Tepps noticed movement off to his left. Glancing over, he couldn't help but curse. "Colonel, we got company!"

Four more jaffa had worked their way into the battle, approaching positions where they could fire on the pinned down team. He noticed three more on the other side. The only positive thing Tepps could get out of the situation, and he used 'positive' tentatively, was that the lack of cover worked both ways. Any advantage that might give them, though, was negated by the fact that now their fire was spread out.

The Death Gliders finally came into range. They pelted the ground with energy, thankfully they seemed to have the terrible aim of most jaffa pilots. But even they would get lucky, if given enough shots. After the first pass they had suffered no casualties, but all three groups of jaffa were slowly approaching their position.

Tepps fired into the group on the left, while Masters focussed on the right. Garner and Adams continued to suppress the main group. Well, as much as two people could suppress seven.

An explosion off to his right caught Tepps attention. Much of the tree that Captain Masters had been perched behind was gone, the rest of it falling to the ground. The Captain was nowhere to be seen. The Death Gliders screamed overhead, flying almost out of sight before they began to loop back around.

"Masters!" Garner called out, scanning the area around the demolished tree.

His expression revealed what Tepps dreaded. They'd be going through the 'gate one man short, if they went through at all.

It was at that time that Tepps also saw his group of jaffa simply crumple to the ground. Scanning the terrain, it took him a moment to find the persons responsible, SG-4 and 6. The larger group, seeing the destruction of their friends, split their attention to deal with the threat to their flank. But the new arrivals used their momentary surprise to advance upon the large group's positions, taking out two of them before they could do much to react.

Those that had moved to deal with the new threat left themselves open to SG-11, who took the opportunity presented to them. The jaffa were simply cut down, their inexperience showing when the remaining members of the group began to stand up to either adjust or run off.

The third group didn't even give them a chance to take them out, fleeing into the woods.

"Open the 'gate!" Garner ordered. Major Tepps ran to the DHD, entering the familiar coordinates for home. He paused briefly to duck against a near miss from the Death Gliders, but managed to punch in the address. Tepps slammed the orange crystal with finality.

As the Stargate opened with its usual grandeur, the newly arrived SG teams just made it to their position. Tepps saw the bandages on Lieutenant Bradly's face and shoulders, wincing at the thought of what lay beneath. Or, what wasn't there. He didn't know what injuries the man had received, but Bradly was a good friend of his, and he ached to make sure the man would be all right. But now wasn't the time for that.

Tepps punched in the iris code, and nodded when he received verification. Their exodus through the 'gate was highlighted by fire from the Death Gliders.

*

"Close the iris!" one of the men called, but Alahn wasn't sure which. She turned towards the Stargate as she heard the scraping of metal on metal, and stared in wonder as the metal lids spiraled shut, just in time to intercept fire that would have accompanied them through the Stargate.

Medics were barking orders, fussing over the wounded. Alahn watched with morbid fascination as Bradly was wheeled off in a fury, phrases such as 'start an IV' and 'prep for surgery' being left in his wake.

//Is it over?//

**Yes, it is. You're safe now.** Sam responded, also answering Alahn's unvoiced question.

Assured, Alahn sat down heavily on the ramp's stairs, plopping onto the grating. Exhausted, she doubted she could get back up if she had to. She couldn't fight off the tears that suddenly ran down her cheeks. Her heart was racing, but she only just now had the time to realize it.

**I'm so sorry you had to see any of that.** Sam assured her, truly repentant of the things that Alahn had witnessed on their return to the planet.

Alahn didn't respond, all she could think of was the man that had been shot. His face had been gone. She had seen his skull!

She jumped when a warm hand made contact with her shoulder.

"Are you all right?" Alahn frowned at the thought that she hadn't even noticed anyone sit down beside her.

"Will he live?" she asked Daniel, turning her head to look at his face.

The war he was fighting was evident on his face. Thanks to Sam's insight into the man, she knew he was debating on whether to tell her the straight truth, since she had Sam, or to try and soften the blow. "I don't know. It's possible."

Alahn quickly stared down at the grating below her. She felt extremely ashamed, there was a part of her that had wished he had said no.

**Don't be hard on yourself.** Sam advised, knowing that Alahn's thoughts came from mercy, rather than malice. She had the same doubts herself.

"That's good." She responded softly. A medic finally came around, demanding that Daniel come with him to get checked out. Smiling sadly, he allowed the medic to help him to the infirmary.

Alahn just sat there for a while, thankful that everyone was occupied with everyone else, giving her a few minutes alone to think about things before she too was fussed over and escorted to the infirmary.

*

Jacob walked down the ramp, smiling reservedly to his old friend. "George."

"Jacob." He couldn't miss the veiled pain in his friend's eyes.

"What is it?" Jacob queried, immediately jumping to the obvious conclusion.

"We just had one doozy of a mission. I have one dead man and another one hanging on by a thread." George sighed heavily as he spoke. Jacob could identify, no matter how many people you lost under you, it never got easier.

"Sam?" he asked, just to be sure.

"Injured, but she should make a full recovery." Jacob couldn't stamp down the relief he felt at that news. A man was dead, granted one he probably didn't know by the way George had phrased it, but still, it didn't feel right to be so happy at the moment.

**It's only natural.** Selmak counseled.

"There's been a slight alteration, though." George announced.

Jacob gave him a look that combined skepticism with worry. "Slight alteration?"

--

Jacob walked up to the room Sam had been assigned. The door was open, a SF standing to the side. He spied the girl inside lying on her side, facing away from the opening.

//Slight alteration, indeed.//

**I agree. General Hammond could have phrased it a bit more... delicately.**

"Grow tired of Daniel already?" he asked, announcing his presence.

The girl flinched at the intrusion, but quickly sat up facing him. "Dad!" the dual tones rang jubilantly in the small room. The fatigue that had been evident on her face was washed away almost instantly.

Jacob quickly made his way across the room, pulling the girl he didn't know into a warm hug, careful of her arm. "And I thought you two got along swell." Jacob continued his tease, ending the hug and sitting down beside his daughter.

Apparently she didn't think of it so lightly. She drooped her face to hide the emotions that were showing. George hadn't told him the story behind what had happened, as he didn't know it himself. They hadn't done the debriefing yet.

Jacob winced at his inadvertent mistake and noted it for future reference. "Ok, forget what I just said. So, who's your new friend?"

**You need to work on your transitions, Jacob.** Selmak mentally rolled her eyes. His choice of topic change could have been better, in her opinion.

//Quiet, you.//

He saw the signal that positions had switched. "Alahn." The girl replied meekly, fearfully, even.

"Hey, whatever Sammie told you about me, I'm not half that scary." Jacob gave her a warm smile.

He was startled when she started laughing. After a moment she regained her composure. "She begs to differ." Alahn explained.

He shrugged, making a mental note with Selmak to remember to discuss this with Sam later on.

**I am not your personal stenographer.** Selmak responded indignantly.

//Secretary.// Jacob corrected.

**I am that neither.**

//After centuries of existence, your memory must rival that of an elephant.//

**Has it occurred to you, Jacob Carter, that, after centuries of existence, I may not have room for your dinner dates?**

Conceding the round, Jacob got back to the moment. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Alahn."

There was silence as Jacob couldn't think of anything to say. Well, he could think of some things, but the topics were questionable, especially given her previous reaction.

After drooping her head, it was Sam who broke the silence. "Have the Tok'ra found anything?"

Selmak took over for the response. "I am sorry, Samantha, but the Tok'ra have found nothing regarding your current condition. We have never had contact with a race that has done anything even remotely similar to what you have experienced. I fear that our knowledge simply does not include a reversal process."

"I understand, Selmak. Thanks for trying."

"I only regret that we can offer you no assistance."

*

General Hammond listened to the accounts that the various team members gave him. Everyone involved with the mission, except for Lieutenant Bradly and the late Captain Masters, as well as Jacob and Doctor Fraiser, were assembled in the briefing room. They had just finished the narrative up to Bradly's injury.

"What is Lieutenant Bradly's condition, Doctor?" Hammond asked.

"Doctor Warner has completed exploratory surgery. Lieutenant Bradly is still in critical condition. We won't have a good idea one way or the other for another 24 hours." Doctor Fraiser explained.

General Hammond nodded slightly to her, then signaled for the debriefing to continue.

"Well, sir," Benson began, "the jaffa just ran off at that point. We took the break and headed to SG-11's position. When we got there, SG-11 was pinned down by over a dozen jaffa and two Death Gliders, it appears our guys went to attack the 'gate with the others. We punched through the jaffa's lines and then made our way here."

"One of the Death Gliders hit Masters. It... there wasn't anything left." Lieutenant Colonel Garner added shakily, gulping down his glass of water as he finished.

There was nothing Hammond could say to comfort the man, he knew how hollow any words would sound. Instead, he settled for nodding solemnly to Garner, letting him know that he understood what the man was feeling.

"Alright, gentlemen, you are dismissed. SG-1, Jacob, I'd like to speak with you for a moment." When the other personnel filed out, he continued. "Have we actually gained anything from this mission?"

Daniel was the one to reply. "SG-4 said that they did recover the video I made. On it we should have a basis for deciphering the alien's language. The spherical... tablets, if you will, should be similar to the Rosetta Stones in the respect that, by the appearance of the writings on them..."

"I believe Daniel is trying to say that we won't know until he reads those stones, sir." Jack interrupted, for which the General was secretly grateful.

"The Tok'ra offer their assistance in this endeavor. But I'm afraid that I have to return now, I only came here to check up on you." Jacob announced.

"Thank you. We'll be sure to let you know if we need any help." Hammond replied.

Jacob nodded to his old friend, then turned his attention to his daughter. "You better be good while I'm gone." Hammond knew that Jacob didn't do sentimental too well, but the sarcastic quip said just as much as any heartfelt comment could.

General Hammond could barely conceal his mirth as Major Carter rolled her eyes. "Yes, dad."

They exchanged pleasantries and Jacob left for the Control Room.

"Alright, now that this is concluded, I believe some of you have an infirmary to return to."

"But, sir." Jack whined, to which the General could only shake his head in exasperation. It was clear enough to Hammond that both men were less than optimal, the debriefing an unusually tiring event for them.

"I would suggest you go immediately, before Doctor Fraiser feels the need to resort to retaliatory actions." Hammond advised, his lips curving up ever so slightly.

*

Jack and Daniel sat on the edge of their respective beds. Doc Fraiser had been exceedingly kind when she didn't force them to lie down, Jack acknowledged. Carter had even joined them in the infirmary, sitting on the bed next to Daniel. Teal'c was off doing kel'no'reem, which Jack was sure was just a ploy to give the three of them some space. Jack leaned forward to bridge the few feet between him and the other bed.

"Everybody's ok, right." He knew physically they were being taken care of, but realized it was time for him to step up again as a commander, a responsibility that he had been neglecting as of late.

"I will be." Daniel replied.

Carter was slow in responding.

"Sam?" Daniel asked after a few moments.

"I... well, we... I'm getting tired of all this, you know?" Carter sighed.

"Yeah, it can't be the easiest thing to go through. I won't even pretend that I understand." Jack responded.

"We have those stones, though." Daniel said enthusiastically. "The answer could be right under our nose as we speak."

"Or maybe not." She stated dejectedly.

"Come on, Sam. We'll figure this all out." Daniel was trying really hard to brighten her spirits, Jack could tell.

"Daniel, I appreciate it, I really do, but the answer could so easily NOT be on those stones. Terak could have killed every last one of the aliens. Then what will we do? The Tok'ra don't even know how to help, and we're having trouble contacting our other allies."

Daniel bowed his head sheepishly, not knowing how to respond to her claims.

"Carter," Jack began, "we haven't exhausted all of our options yet. There's still a chance. You make it sound like we've already tried everything."

"I know, but things aren't looking so great right now."

"No, they're not, but I think things are improving a little, wouldn't you say?" Jack asked, hoping she understood the veiled question. She still wasn't angry at him for being an ass, was she?

Her look, softening from the previous frustration, let him know that she understood, and that things were ok between them. "I guess I would."

TBC


	4. Brief Respite

Title: Legacy of the Xel'naga 4: Brief Respite

Author: Confushi Sushi

Email: confushi_

Rating: PG13 (some swearing)

Spoilers: 202 ITLOD, probably others I might have missed

Category: Angst (a lot, according to some people)

Pairing(s): none in this part

Season: Looking like sometime late 3rd, maybe 4th

Summary: Everyone waits on base for the translations to be completed, but, as always, someone has other ideas.

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back, I swear.

A/N: Ok, if all goes as planned, there should be 10 parts in all, including a prologue and epilogue, because I love epilogues and this story begs for a pro. Like I said before, I'm only using the Xel'naga name because it's cool, so don't hurt me. Still love Blizzard ;-) Would LOVE to hear what you think about this piece, even if it's just a line saying you liked it or hated it. PLEASE!!!! Huge thanx and lots of love to Kalliope for the beta, without her this would surely be a piece of dren. Los mistakes son mine!

*

The infirmary was nice and all, but there was only so much of it he could take. Jack had seen his fair share of hospital beds. He was to the point where he'd rather not be there if he could help it. At the moment, though, the doc wasn't seeing things his way.

He didn't really get why Carter, who was not confined to the infirmary, chose to be there.

Jack sat on the edge of his bed, facing Daniel's. The archaeologist was propped up on one arm, unable to sleep due to Jack's restlessness. Carter sat at the foot of Daniel's bed, and Jack wouldn't have been surprised if she passed out at any moment. Her eyes were red and she held herself up only just.

"I feel fine. There isn't any reason I couldn't do this in my quarters." Jack blurted the protest, as he had for over an hour.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "After all that happened on the planet, Janet just wants to make sure we're all ok."

Alahn giggled, covering her face. Jack's confusion only grew as he saw Daniel's cheeks redden. He gave them a clearly perplexed look, but no explanations were forthcoming.

"Well, I'm ok." Jack reiterated. He decided that since he didn't understand what had just happened before him, he would ignore it.

Bowing her head, Carter spoke. "Well, sir, the whole point is Doctor Fraiser wants you to get some rest. And she knows that won't happen if you aren't here."

Jack looked around the room as if searching for something. Apparently satisfied, he leaned in conspiratorially. "My secret's out?"

"Doesn't it have to be a secret in the first place to get out?" Daniel teased as he sat up.

Jack gave his patented hurt look.

"Daniel has a point, sir."

"You mean no one was ever...?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrows.

They both shook their heads negatively.

Tired as he may have been, Jack still wasn't ready to give up. He just wanted to be somewhere else. Too many unpleasant memories in this setting.

More time must have passed than he realized as he pondered. When he finally was cognizant of his surroundings, he saw Carter leaning on Daniel's shoulder, clearly asleep. It was almost all he could do not to shout 'it's about time!'

"Tired?" Jack asked sarcastically, nodding towards her.

"Well, she did run from those jaffa, and then back again." Daniel's voice was subdued, though Jack doubted she'd wake up even if the klaxons started blaring.

He just nodded in response, knowing she had more than enough justification.

Jack couldn't help but take a moment to assess her condition. The burn marks from the ribbon device were already well on their way to recovery, tangible proof that Carter was doing her little healing thing. He knew the healing process took a lot out of her, yet another explanation for her current unconsciousness. But she could rest whenever she needed to, so Jack was sure it wouldn't be long before even her broken arm was fixed.

Thinking about her being able to heal with a thought was weird, to say the least. Jack was pretty certain he'd be jealous, if the other payoffs weren't what they were. He definitely did NOT want to be a snake, have a snake in him, or any crazy combination someone could think up. No siree, Bob. Wasn't high at all on his wish list.

What the hell would he do if their positions were switched? That was almost too much for Jack to consider. He doubted he could even accept that it had happened. Everyone knew that he and snakes of any kind, except for Jacob, just didn't get along. And how would he ever cope with being inside of someone, his best friend even? At least Carter had had some idea how things worked before getting into it.

He was sure he wouldn't have been able to go nearly this long without blowing up.

Looking at her slack jaw and peaceful expression, Jack had to wonder just how at peace Carter and Alahn were. On the planet they both had seemed to be doing well. Now, though, their lives weren't in immediate danger, and they had all the time in the world to think. And thinking was something Carter did very well. As resilient as his 2IC may be, just how much could be flung at her before she couldn't take any more?

"Is she ok?" Jack asked Daniel. If anyone were to truly know, then he'd be the one. Carter had shared his head for a little while.

"I couldn't be sure, but I think that it's hurt both of them more than they're willing to let on. When Terak made Sam leave me and take Alahn, she was devastated." Daniel confided.

Jack could only imagine. Carter knew what it was like to be taken as a host, albeit to a Tok'ra... a very misguided one, at that. Even if her whole experience with Jolinar was only half as bad as she made it out to be, he knew she'd never want to put anyone else through it.

"Yeah." He agreed. "She can be stubborn like that."

"I'm worried."

Jack so didn't need to hear that. He knew that Daniel was worried, but to have him go out and say it... he had enough on his mind as it was. He was worried himself. "So am I, what's new?"

"Jack... she's a good actress."

Still nothing new to him.

Daniel clarified. "Very good."

He really didn't like where this conversation was going.

"So what was all that about just a few minutes ago?" Jack suddenly asked, seeing how Daniel was currently unable to escape questioning.

"What was all what about?" Daniel returned, honestly unsure what he meant.

"You know, Alahn started giggling over something you said." Unfortunately, Jack couldn't remember exactly what he had said. Something about them being ok, wasn't it?

"I don't know." The other man returned, obviously flustered.

"What do you mean 'you don't know?' You blushed!" he tried to back Daniel into a corner.

"No I didn't." Daniel assured.

"Yes you did."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Colonel O'Neill, Doctor Jackson." Janet's firm voice suddenly issued from the door.

Both men looked like their hands had been caught in the proverbial cookie jar.

Carter, or Alahn, shifted slightly and was obviously waking up. Blinking groggily, she looked from person to person.

"I believe you were going to give me a good reason why you're causing such a commotion in my infirmary." Janet prompted after several moments of silence.

"Well, you see, Daniel's just being such a baby." Jack began in mock seriousness.

"Excuse me?" Daniel responded, eyes wide with disbelief.

The Doctor cleared her throat, stopping the argument from beginning anew.

"Janet, how's Lieutenant Bradly?" Carter asked, bringing a serious air back to the room.

They all looked to the Doctor expectantly.

Janet sighed before speaking. "He's still alive, which is something in and of itself. Doctor Warner has just completed exploratory surgery. At the moment all we can really do is wait and see. It's up to him right now."

Jack felt sorry for the kid. Even if he did survive, his life would be ultimately changed. Almost had to laugh at the absurdity of it all. They were in a base, in a mountain, in the middle of the country, and still people found drastic and bizarre ways to get hurt. The folks around must have thought that mighty strange. He found himself morbidly curious as to what the cover story would be for the burns he had received.

Carter looked at the floor, what exactly was going through her head, Jack couldn't say.

*

Teal'c walked down the halls of the SGC, towards Daniel Jackson's office. He had completed several hours of kel'no'reem, effectively healing most of his injuries. What remained was little more than cuts and bruises. Even the bone in his hand was mostly knitted together.

After being discharged from the infirmary, Daniel Jackson had gone directly to his office to begin working on translating the stones. Doctor Fraiser had stated that he should 'take it easy' for a few days. Teal'c knew that, unless interrupted, Daniel Jackson would be getting no rest anytime soon.

Just like he had thought, as soon as he opened the door, he saw Daniel studying the video he had made, taking notes in one of his journals. Continuing his ministrations, he was completely oblivious to Teal'c's presence.

Teal'c figured he had been at it for quite a while already.

"Daniel Jackson." Teal'c announced his existence.

"Hey, Teal'c." He replied, not even stopping what he was doing.

Taking a few more steps into the room, he knew he would have to be more direct. "I came to ask if you would like to join me in the commissary."

"I'm fine, thanks." Daniel replied, scribbling something onto the page before him.

"You will do no one any good if you work yourself to exhaustion."

He finally got Daniel's attention. "Excuse me?"

"Daniel Jackson, you have only just been cleared from the infirmary. It is not wise to exert yourself too much, too quickly."

"Too much?" Daniel parroted incredulously. "We could be so close to the answer." At that, Daniel put down his journal and stood up. He scrubbed his face with his hands, belying his current fatigue.

"It is a possibility. But be that as it may, Major Carter would feel responsible were you to bring yourself to any harm on her behalf."

"I know," he agreed, "I know. I just can't stand not doing anything when there's a way I can contribute. We've gone through enough already. SHE'S gone through enough. I just want to fix this before anything else can go wrong."

"You do not have to do this on your own. The Tok'ra have offered their assistance in this endeavor." Teal'c reminded him.

"Yeah, I've had a copy of the tape made and sent to them. Garshaw said that most of their operatives were busy, but they have one or two working on it."

Teal'c lifted his eyebrow. "Then little would be lost if you were to spend a few minutes away from your work."

Of course, Teal'c knew how much Daniel Jackson wanted to get the translations completed as quickly as possible, even at the sacrifice of self. But doing so would hurt Daniel Jackson far more than it would help Major Carter.

Rubbing his forehead, Daniel reached down and stopped the tape. "I guess you're right."

*

Alahn sat in the corner adjacent to the door. She really needed to be alone, but Sam's quarters were too small. Cramped. Truth be told, she really didn't want to be surrounded by anything that belonged to the person in her head. Sam had informed her that the briefing room tended to be very empty when there were no mission briefings scheduled and the General wasn't in his office. Walking along, she found that was where she ended up.

Even alone, she still felt crowded.

She had thought she was ok with things. But now, she just wasn't sure. Alahn didn't have anything from her own life to compare this to. How could anything a simple teenager would go through possibly match what was happening to her now? She wanted to figure it out for herself, so distanced herself from Sam who tried to give her the privacy she desired.

But she wasn't truly alone, and at the moment, that bothered her more than anything. No matter where she went, there would always be someone else. It unnerved her like she would never have imagined. She had always been a very social person, so she was quite amazed that it bothered her so much. It was the fact that, even if she wanted privacy, she couldn't get it.

**Daniel may be sitting on an answer to this. We could both be back to normal very soon.** Sam couldn't help but remind her.

//Or not.// They were both aware of the fact that everything could so easily be a dud.

In fact, Alahn had a hard time imagining they'd find whatever it was they needed. After all that had happened, how could the solution simply fall into their laps? And these people, even aliens that Sam assured her were very advanced, had no clue what to do. That didn't help her believe they would ever find an answer. She could feel Sam's reluctance, but even she had to agree with the conclusion.

So, that meant they'd be stuck like this forever.

Forever. Not just a lifetime. She could hardly fathom it, living several centuries. It was close enough to forever in her opinion. Alahn felt herself begin to panic. Living that long... she didn't want it. A human was pretty lucky to live to be 100. A blended human, even without the benefit of a sarcophagus could easily live to be twice that age, if not more. Alahn couldn't stand the thought of living that long. Not longer than anyone she could meet at that very moment. It wasn't right.

//I don't want it!// she pulled her knees up tight to her chest, wrapping both arms around them. The cast was awkward, but she ignored it.

It didn't really help that Sam didn't want it either. That fact only served to remind her that she was stuck with her.

And, as if that wasn't enough, Alahn was stuck on an alien planet. When all of this was over, no matter how exactly things turned out, she could never go back to her home. The SGC had already tried to send probes through to see the current situation on the planet. It was quickly learned that the 'gate had been put under heavy guard, and only a few moments of footage had been received before the MALP had been blown away. If she tried she would only return into Terak's clutches.

God, it was enough to make her want to cry. As there was no one around to see, she didn't hold back.

*

Jack sauntered his way into the gym. He knew quite well that Doc Fraiser would have a fit if she saw him there. Of course he also knew she was well aware that, unless there was a lake and fishing pole involved, that he and 'take it easy' didn't tend to mix. And right now, there really wasn't anything for him to do.

Hitting the punching bag, he began to work the stiffness out of his muscles. Aside from giving him something to do, Jack also found the act therapeutic. It was nice to imagine the bag was that damn snakehead from the planet. The way he figured, he had a lot to pay him back for.

When he eventually saw Teal'c enter, he wasn't the least bit surprised.

It didn't take long for the jaffa to see him there and make his way over. He didn't say a word to jack, only stood nearby and watched. Jack knew Teal'c was waiting for him to initiate things. He wondered just how long he could ignore his friend standing there.

Despite his best efforts, Jack only lasted a couple minutes before Teal'c's silent stare demanded his attention.

"What?" Jack asked as he turned to Teal'c.

"I do not believe Doctor Fraiser would approve of your current activities." Teal'c warned him, but Jack knew he wouldn't try to stop him, especially when he held the bag as Jack started again.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"It is not her health that is currently in question." He couldn't be entirely sure, but he thought that it was a joke. It was becoming increasingly harder to tell with Teal'c.

"She got you on payroll or something?" Jack was sure Teal'c was mother henning, and he probably wouldn't be the only one to receive the man's attention.

Instead of giving a verbal response, Teal'c simply raised his eyebrow.

"So, what brings you here exactly? Checking up on me?"

"Indeed."

Jack really hadn't been ready for the admission. "What for?"

"Recent events have been stressful for all. You, least of all, have sought others to share these burdens."

Jack sighed, having almost been able to forget the root of all these problems. "Shouldn't you talk to Carter about this stuff. I mean, she's the one who's been affected by all of this." He really didn't want to talk, and Teal'c certainly must've known this.

"It affects us all, if not directly." Teal'c rebuffed.

"Why are you asking me how I feel? You know already, don't you? I'm no scientist, or linguist, or anything. All I can do is sit around and hope that someone else can find a way to help her, because I sure as hell can't."

Teal'c nodded his head slowly, showing Jack that they were both equally frustrated with their inability to help in this current situation. It really sucked when you didn't know how to do anything that would be beneficial.

If only everything could be solved by kicking the shit out of something.

"You know, I could almost accept her being stuck inside of Daniel. Almost. But now... She's in a kid that NONE of us know. Why the hell does the whole universe have to get involved in this?" Jack didn't know what exactly had possessed him to admit these things, but he found his fist hitting the punching bag harder with each word.

"I am not fond of this, either."

Hah, he was so beyond not being FOND of things. Had been ever since this whole situation began.

Jack finally stopped his attack on the equipment. The variable this girl, Alahn, posed to them was what really had him on edge. If they didn't truly know how she felt about things, they couldn't begin to figure out exactly what was going through Carter's head. He didn't like not knowing what to expect from her.

"I bet she's getting pretty sick of this mountain by now." Jack threw the statement up from seemingly nowhere. Off-world missions notwithstanding, none of them had been away for weeks. And by the looks of things, it would be a while longer yet. But something about what he'd said made a light go off in Jack's head.

"O'Neill?" Teal'c replied to the mischievous smile playing on Jack's lips.

*

General Hammond mentally sighed as he walked down the halls. Normal runnings of the base always seemed exceedingly trivial when compared to more trying matters. It just didn't seem right to be sifting through equipment requisitions when the futures of some of his officers were in question.

But these small tasks were just as vital to the running of a base as anything. Nevertheless he was glad to be done with it so he could focus on other matters, even if he had nothing specific to do at the moment.

He made his way up the stairs to the briefing room, and ultimately, his office. The General paused on the last step, held up by a noise in the room beyond. It wasn't until he heard it again that he could be sure it was a sniffle.

He knew nothing was scheduled in the briefing room, and he had no appointments, so who would be in there?

His curiosity piqued, he stepped through the door and looked around the room. He saw Alahn sitting curled up in the corner. Hammond knew it was her by the sounds she made.

The General really wasn't sure how to deal with the situation before him. It was clear to him that she had come there to be alone, though why she'd come to the Briefing Room, of all places, was beyond him.

She still hadn't noticed his presence, but even so, he couldn't bring himself to simply sneak back out. "Alahn, Major Carter?"

Her body stiffened at the unexpected sound of his voice, and he watched as Carter took control.

"General, sir, I didn't see you there." She fumbled as she got to her feet.

"Obviously not." He replied gently.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'll just go now." He watched as she tried to surreptitiously wipe away the tears still staining her face.

"There's no need for that. Sit down." Hammond motioned her to a seat at the table. Carter sat near the center of the table, seeming to curl up into herself. Rather than take his traditional seat at the head of the table, he sat down beside her.

There was a long, awkward silence until he decided to start things.

He just wished he knew what to say. "I haven't really had the chance to talk with you since the beginning of this, see how you are doing."

"I'm fine, sir." She replied quickly, just like he was sure she would.

"Now, I will admit that you appear to be handling yourself admirably. Better than would be expected. But I can't believe that it's quite that simple, though. Even with what we have seen around here, this is far from a normal situation."

She shook her head slowly and appeared to be in deep thought. It was a look he'd seen on Jacob on more than one occasion when he didn't want to talk.

"If not as a general, I had hoped you could talk to me as a friend." He had known her since she was a child. They weren't strangers with each other. Quite the opposite.

He could still see her uneasiness, her head drooping until it almost touched the table, her arms in her lap. Not knowing what else to do, Hammond placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

Sam sighed. "I messed up, big time."

"Everyone's allowed a few of those." He assured her.

"Yeah, but not like this. I'm not the only one who gets burned out of the deal. Other people have to live with the consequences, too. What about Daniel? What about Alahn?"

Frustration poured out with her words, and he found his hand gripping her shoulder a little tighter. The General was so focused on the guilt and other emotions in her voice that he didn't even pay attention to the reverberating tone.

"I won't even pretend that I know what this is like for any of you."

"You have no idea." She all but snapped. Carter quickly realized her tone was stronger than it needed to be. "Sorry, sir."

"Sam, don't be." Sam looked up at the mention of her name, and he smiled softly. "Ignore the ranks, I want to talk to YOU."

"It's all just gone so horribly wrong."

"You didn't mean to hurt anyone. You can't blame yourself that things turned out the way they did. All you can do is try the best you can with what you have." He told her.

"But I am trying! I've been trying so hard it almost hurts. Still everything's gone from bad to worse." It pained him to see Sam so dejected.

"That all was beyond your control. Sam, we're all proud of you. Even if you were to up and break down this very instant, I'd still look at you with the same respect I always have. You've taken a very debasing situation and done what you could to get through it. No one could ask for anything more."

She lowered her head in what he at first thought was embarrassment. But as he continued to look at her, he thought he saw shame in her features.

"I meant every word I said. It doesn't matter what you may have done."

"Please, sir." Sam pleaded, tears beginning to form.

"What is it?" Why did his words seem to hurt her? Why couldn't she accept that, maybe, she had been doing ok?

"I..." she stopped whatever admission she was going to make. "Just don't, please."

Now Hammond had to wonder what the hell she could have said or done to make her so obviously feel like she didn't deserve the praise she... well, deserved. But he had tried, and couldn't think of anything else to say that would make a difference.

He gave her shoulder a quick, reassuring rub. "Don't be too hard on yourself." Getting up, he decided to leave Sam to herself for a little while.

As he reached the stairs, he turned around. "By the way, SG-7 has a briefing at 1800." He warned before exiting the room.

*

"Well, sir, whatcha say?"

"I don't know. As much as I might agree, there could be complications."

"Aw, come on. I'll take care of everything. Promise."

"I don't know..."

"We can't be expected to sit here and let the opportunity go to waste."

"Very well, then."

"Thanks, sir. You won't regret this."

"I had better not."

*

Daniel looked down at the notes that he had been working on. Viewing the videotape on mute, he could almost forget the danger they had been in when it was made. And when he couldn't forget, he'd just ignore it for the sake of the translation.

More so than the actual heat of the moment, what nagged at him the most when watching it was Sam. He could still hear her thoughts, frantic at the time. Looking down, he took in Alahn's sleeping form on the couch.

He wished he could hear her thoughts now.

Staring intently, Daniel tried to get an idea what Sam was thinking, or even Alahn, for that matter. He didn't have a clue, especially with her currently in the quiet repose of sleep. Despite everything, he couldn't help but smile softly at that thought. They had been doing a lot of sleeping lately. A side effect of the healing process, he was well aware.

This time, she had entered his office, and they'd exchanged pleasantries. Daniel had tried to tell her a little bit of what he had so far, but she quickly changed the subject. Not knowing what else to do, he continued his work and she had sat down on the couch and fallen asleep.

It puzzled Daniel why she wouldn't want to know what he had learned from the translations. He figured it would be foremost on her mind, and had expected more than a little exuberance from her on the subject. Both of them, really. They both wanted to get back to normal, so why they showed no interest in his work simply made no sense.

Shouldn't they want all the information they could get their hands on?

The situation was hurting her so much. Even if Daniel didn't know firsthand how bad the time in Terak's clutches had been for her, Sam's quietness lately was more than enough evidence. This whole situation was wearing at her, like waves washing up on a beach. Little by little the sand gets disturbed, pulled away, rearranged.

Daniel didn't want this to last long enough for the frame underneath to become exposed.

As he was about to return to his work, he saw her begin to stir.

"Welcome back." Daniel said cheerily, battling back his apprehensiveness.

She gave him a smile that looked at least partially forced, and Sam spoke. "Sorry for conking out on you."

"Don't worry about it."

Sam sat up on the couch. Daniel didn't really know why he said it, kind of offhanded and a bit nervously. "I miss you."

"What?" the look she gave him was very curious.

"It's weird, but I guess I just got used to your... company."

She didn't know how to reply, and it was painfully obvious. Sitting there, her cheeks actually flushed noticeably. Sam looked absently around the room. "Really?"

Daniel was always the one for smooth transitions. "I know you've both probably been asked this question a million and one times, but... how are you really doing?"

"We're fine, Daniel." Sam replied, her tone laced with indignation.

He didn't buy it for a second. Daniel knew better. "This is me, Sam. I know, remember?"

Sam stood up abruptly, pacing around the small room. Daniel began to worry that he had gone too far. Eventually she came to stand on the other side of his desk, resting her arms on it.

"Why can't anyone seem to believe that we're ok? We can handle this."

Looking straight into his eyes, she didn't even blink. "We... are... fine." Alahn stated slowly.

They were stressed, that much was obvious. He was just coming to realize how thin the ice he was walking on was. "Everyone's just worried, you know? You don't have to do this alone."

At that Alahn smiled slightly, tilting her head briefly. "Alone? That just isn't possible, now is it?"

Sam could be extremely difficult, as he already knew, but this was just overwhelming. She didn't want to listen, neither of them did. Heaven forbid they actually acknowledge what had happened. Both of them went well out of their way to not talk about it, except in the most general of terms. The second you asked their thoughts and feelings on the subject, it was not unlike running into a very unyielding stone wall.

"You know what I mean." He admonished.

"Yes, we do. But it's not necessary. Sure, it's... different, but we're handling things."

Oddly enough, Alahn's assurances did little to quell his doubts, if anything it made them worse. Denial, it just had to be. He couldn't believe that everything was just fine. They wouldn't have it, though. Wouldn't let him help. Wouldn't even let him listen.

He just didn't know what to do.

*

"And that's it."

"Great. I can't wait."

"Yeah, it's been a while. Who knows when we'll get another chance."

"It has. So, when are we gonna do this?"

"Soon, believe you me."

*

Jacob found himself entering the lab. Yet again, to the poor translator's chagrin. He couldn't really be blamed, now could he? It was his daughter in trouble, after all.

He could see frustration in the other Tok'ra's eyes.

//Good to see I haven't lost my touch.//

**Jacob, leave the poor boy alone. Ra'ental doesn't need you looking over his shoulder.**

"Jacob." Ra'ental, Gorin's symbiote, greeted reservedly.

"Ra'ental."

"Nothing of consequence has been discovered since your last visit." The younger Tok'ra informed him.

"Nothing of consequence." Jacob repeated to himself.

"As I have informed you on the eight prior occasions this morning that you have come here, these spheres each contain large portions of text. Simply copying down the text will take time, not to mention bringing it together into cohesive pieces. Also, Doctor Jackson requested that we do what we could to translate the alien language that runs parallel to our own."

**You are aware that your presence only slows his progress.** Selmak warned.

He did understand that quite well. But Jacob was an action man, former general. Commander by nature. It wasn't the easiest for him not to be in control of a situation. Besides, they didn't exactly have anything else to do.

"Alright... well, good job. Keep it up." Jacob praised awkwardly as he walked out the doorway. He swore he could hear a sigh of relief follow him out of the room.

With that pastime no longer available, he started walking down the hallway with no particular destination in mind. He was trying to think, but having a hard time figuring out where to start from.

**The beginning tends to be the best place.** Selmak informed him cheekily, but with sympathy.

//Thanks.// he responded to her unhelpful advice.

His daughter, his flesh and blood, had gone through something that, until then, had been virtually unimaginable. A human turning into a symbiote, it just didn't happen. Humans become hosts, not take them. But, that was what had happened, in simplest terms.

**She is not currently human.** Selmak pointed out.

//How can it be that simple? She's been human her entire life, but now she's not? Mentally, she's the same as ever, but physically is another matter.// Jacob stopped for a moment when he realized he had lost his point, if he had had one to begin with.

**I said that she was not human, but she is still Samantha Carter.** he could feel Selmak's own uneasiness about what was going on. Just as he was thrown for a loop, Selmak also had never encountered anything remotely similar in all of her years.

Aside from whoever built the device that changed Sam, he doubted anyone had.

That thought did nothing to comfort his already reeling mind. From what he had witnessed, she was adjusting rather well to her situation. Not that he would expect anything different from her.

**She is strong, like her father.**

//And just as stubborn.// Jacob added. Even if she did have problems, he knew Sam wouldn't share them with others, not if she could avoid it.

**Such a situation could be very self-destructive.** Selmak supplied, though he was already well aware. If Jacob wasn't so sure she'd dodge his attempts to help like she no doubt would her friend's, he would have went to Earth immediately. But he was already confident that SG-1 and everyone else who cared for her were already trying to do what they could. If he also tried to get her to open up, it would definitely just make things worse.

**It is natural to be perturbed with the events that have unfolded.**

Perturbed... right. Unsettled, maybe. Flustered. Taken aback... WAY aback. She was different, and NO ONE seemed to know how. The people back at the SGC didn't really want to try and dig any of the stuff up in the pyramid, assuming they could negotiate the metallic design without damaging what lay underneath. He had to agree with that logic. Opening up the machine with little more than a very basic knowledge of it's intentions could get messy. It also could take a long time to figure out. Even for a team of Tok'ra scientists. Or, they could end up pressing the wrong button and lose any chance they may have at helping Sam.

And now, Sam's fate lay in the translation of a couple of stones. An ominous situation at best. He just didn't see these aliens writing a 'how to reverse' process on a bunch of tablets... on a completely different planet.

**It is most unlikely.** Selmak agreed.

Jacob pretty well doubted that they had a reverse process at all. They were mimicking the Goa'uld, after all. Why would those who changed want to go back and lose all of their newfound power?

**We know nothing about these aliens or their motives. Perhaps this is one of the things that these spheres will help us to reveal.**

//Truth be told, I really don't give a rat's ass why they do what they do, if we can't find a way to reverse it.//

"Jacob." The deep, reverberating greeting pulled him out of his reverie. The Tok'ra before him bowed slightly. "Selmak."

"Griecol." Jacob acknowledged uneasily. He always felt uneasy around Griecol. Jacob didn't have anything against the Tok'ra, it was just... awkward.

**Only because you make it so.** Selmak admonished.

"You are uneasy," Griecol pointed out, seeing Jacob's worry and anxiety, partly because of his daughter, and also mixed in with the weirdness he felt at Griecol's presence, "has there been any updates to Samantha's condition?"

The obvious concern in his voice only served to make Jacob feel even more uneasy. For almost 200 years Griecol and Selmak had been mated. Of course, Selmak had previously been in a female body. Jacob, however, was decidedly not female. Despite sharing Selmak's deep feelings for Griecol, and his current host, Yensi, the idea of being close like that with another guy was out of the question. Just the thought was extremely unnerving. Very, very taboo.

Thankfully, they didn't pursue their physical relationship due to Jacob's discomfort with it. Nevertheless, the feelings were there whenever they were in each other's presence, something that Jacob tried very hard to ignore. Even if they weren't DOING anything, he didn't like...

**Loving?** Selmak proposed, with just a hint of amusement.

//Would you just stop?//

**We both are well aware you would have skirted the issue for hours.**

Fine, loving. He didn't like... loving another guy. It was wrong on so many levels. Firstly, Griecol was a guy. And secondly... Well, he was a guy! There needn't be any further justification.

**Such a thing is common on your world, Jacob.** Selmak informed him from his own knowledge. He knew she wasn't pushing him to pursue a physical relationship, that wasn't going to happen no matter what she said. She just wanted him to open his mind to the possibility of being close to another guy... emotionally.

He didn't have a good comeback.

"No, there's nothing new." Jacob finally replied.

"Ah, that is both good and bad." The other man replied knowingly.

"Well, at least it means nothing else has gone wrong... yet." Jacob swallowed as he remembered when George had called him to the base when this all started. Sam could have easily died then.

"I am aware that this is difficult for you, as it would be for any parent. But you must endeavor to remain positive, in case Samantha does not."

Another Tok'ra took that moment to walk by, reminding Jacob that they were standing in the middle of the hallway. He really didn't like having this discussion out in the open for all to hear.

Griecol saw Jacob's expression. "Shall we continue in a more private location?"

Might as well, he figured. Griecol was definitely the most comfortable choice to talk with about such a personal matter, though the comfort was only relative. Even so, it wasn't the easiest thing for him to do. Jacob motioned for Griecol to lead the way, as his quarters were the closest.

Once there, they both sat in two chairs that were separated by a small table. Jacob sighed softly. Despite being parted by a piece of furniture, their closeness to each other was hard to miss.

"You are uncomfortable?"

"Well, um, a little, maybe." Jacob stumbled.

"We do not need to talk if it is awkward for you." Griecol advised.

**It would be best for you... both of us, to share these problems with someone that we must open our mouth up to speak with.**

Selmak was right, and he preferred this setup to, say, Anise. "No, it's alright. Nothing I can't deal with."

"If you are sure..."

"I am. I was just never really any good at talking about... this sort of thing, with anyone." Jacob was shocked at his own admission. While he didn't tend to talk about his feelings, he also didn't talk about not talking about his feelings.

"Yes, it has always been obvious to me that you are a reserved man," and after a moment, Greicol continued, "a quality I'm sure your daughter also possesses."

"One reason that I worry." Jacob agreed.

"Rightfully so, this is a great burden to carry alone."

"Yeah, I just wonder how long it's going to last before we figure it out." Exactly how long would she have to try to bear it by herself? That day couldn't come soon enough, in his mind. When everything was back to normal, then he could breathe a sigh of relief.

"I am certain that Ra'ental continues to work hard on the translations." Griecol stated, obviously trying to allay any doubts Jacob may had.

Selmak came forth at that comment, exhaling her frustration at Jacob's previous antics. "Only when Jacob affords him the concentration to do so."

At that, the other man chuckled. "This I can imagine."

"Well, he can hardly be blamed. We are both troubled."

"I would be worried if you weren't. It is a most trying situation for a father."

"So it is. Even I find it hard at times to see this end well." Well being Sam back in her former state, Jacob knew.

"It pains me to see you both in such a condition. That I must leave on assignment in but a few days only makes it worse." Griecol announced.

"Caropps?" Selmak clarified.

"Yes. If I do not return to his court shortly, he may begin to suspect my allegiance."

"He has little power among the Goa'uld, and is not a System Lord."

"That is true, but his hand is in almost everyone's business. I know of few System Lords that do not unwittingly have one of his spies in their midst."

"I see." Selmak returned.

Jacob ignored most of the conversation, instead focussing on Griecol. His host, Yensi, was practically a baby. Hell, he was way younger than either of his kids. Somewhere in his early 20's, and he'd been a host a few years longer than Jacob had. Symbiotes aside, there were more than a couple decades between them. That only made the idea of... the emotional attachment thing all the more odd. Sure, he had nothing against the kid, or his symbiote, but he could hardly see himself looking at him with any love other than what a father might have.

He felt Selmak's amusement at that thought.

"But, it is not today." Griecol stated with a smile.

*

"Your arm is healing along very nicely." Janet announced, wrapping the air cast around the offending limb.

She watched as Alahn picked at the straps.

It was amazing what could be accomplished in a little less than a week. She was hardly surprised, though, being far from the first time Janet had been in contact with such healing. Even so, she still looked upon the process with awe. It was like watching the human body mend in fast forward.

"That other cast was so uncomfortable." Alahn stated.

"It can be. Usually people wear it for weeks, though, not days."

"Poor things." The girl's voice was laced with true pity.

Janet couldn't help but laugh. "It's better than nothing."

"And that's about it."

"What about a pair of sticks and a couple pieces of string?" Janet wondered.

"I guess it's better than that, too."

Janet looked at the girl before her. They'd been on base for a while now. She had to wonder what Alahn had been up to since then. "Have you two gotten off the base at all?"

"No," the girl announced idly, "but we did get to visit the surface a couple times. Chaperoned."

Janet nodded in understanding. "You must be just about bored out of your skull."

She guessed her words could have been a bit more... eloquent, but apparently neither of them minded.

"Yeah."

Janet wanted to talk with Sam, but didn't know what subjects would be safe. Bringing up Cassie would just be a big reminder about the world off base that Sam couldn't participate in. It seemed to pretty much cut out anything personal. And professionally, well, similar problems existed. SG-1 definitely weren't going to be involved with offworld missions for a while, and from what she had heard Sam wasn't really interested in doing much research on base.

She hoped she wouldn't have to kick herself for mentioning it. "How's the translation going?"

"Good... I guess."

"Haven't you been to see Daniel lately?" Janet questioned. She'd think that it would be the first thing Sam and Alahn would check on.

"Yeah, but we haven't really talked to him about it." Alahn informed her.

"No? Why not?"

"Well, you know, he probably hasn't really found out much of anything yet."

Janet caught on. "And you're not sure he ever will."

Alahn nodded. Janet could understand, if their hopes had a chance of being dashed, they'd probably want to hold on as long as possible. She hated that the two before her were even put into such a position.

Janet had to fight not to ask Sam and Alahn how they were. Knowing others as she did, she was sure the question had been asked on multiple occasions. Also, knowing Sam as she did, they both must have been completely sick of it by then. She didn't really want to aggravate them if she could avoid it. But, just what COULD she do?

"Well, I know this base isn't exactly bustling with things to do, but if you ever want some company for anything, just let me know."

Taking it as a cue to leave, Alahn hopped down from the infirmary bed. "Thanks, we'll keep that in mind."

*

"So, can you do it?"

"I, um, well, yes. I guess I can."

"Great."

"You came up with this plan all by yourself?"

"Yeah... what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing. This will be good for everyone involved."

"Yup, great plans are my specialty."

"If you say so, sir."

"Hey!"

*

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads." Both Sam and Alahn were awoken by the playful sing-song.

"What's going on?" Sam asked as she opened her eyes. "Sir?"

Colonel O'Neill smiled cheekily at her. "Come on."

"What?" she asked, still not completely awake.

//What is he doing?// Alahn puzzled.

**I have no idea.**

"Sheesh, Carter. Time is of the essence here." He replied, tapping his watch impatiently.

"Is something wrong?" Sam was clueless as to what to make of his behavior.

"We gotta go, now."

//Why won't he tell you what's going on?//

Sam didn't know, but it was really starting to annoy her.

"Sir..." she tried. In response, the Colonel grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet. Sam could only be thankful that they went to bed fully clothed. "Sir!"

"Less talky, more walky." He intoned, pushing her towards the partly opened door.

Pushing her into the hall, she saw Teal'c standing by the door, looking out.

"Teal'c?" she questioned.

"You have been most inefficient, O'Neill." Teal'c stated, glancing down at his own watch.

"Sorry, T."

"What is going on here?" Sam asked harshly.

Teal'c simply started guiding her down the hall by her shoulder. "We must go now."

"Go where? Why?" And why the hell wouldn't they answer these simple questions? Teal'c especially. It wasn't like him to be so... secretive.

They led her to the elevator, pushing the button for level 11. Sam felt herself getting angry. Just what were they up to? As they were getting up towards NORAD, Alahn took over. Wouldn't do to freak out the people on the upper levels. Most had no idea what lay in the mountain below.

"What are you doing?" Alahn asked as she turned around to face the two men.

Teal'c remained silent, staring at the door. Even the Colonel adopted a similar posture to Teal'c. It wasn't until the door opened on their destination that the silence was broken.

"Quickly now." Colonel O'Neill warned, ushering her out of the elevator and towards the one that went to the surface.

This time, there were other people on the lift. Subsequently, Alahn remained silent, fixing her companions with a dubious stare.

**I just don't get it.** Sam informed her in frustration. It just didn't make any sense to her.

//Where could they be taking us?//

**To the surface, I guess. But why all this cloak and dagger stuff?**

//If you don't know, I definitely don't.//

The elevator finally reached the top level. They got out, and went towards the parking area. The Colonel and Teal'c signed themselves out.

The guard didn't even mention her presence. Why wouldn't he care about a strange girl leaving the premises? When she had come up before, they had bypassed the checkpoints to keep questions from being raised, so this guy had no idea who she was.

She didn't have much time to think about it as Teal'c guided her past all the personnel cars. Near the back there was a rather rickety looking gray van. The engine was even running. As they neared, she saw Daniel's head poke out of the driver's side.

"Glad you could make it. I was beginning to think you'd never come." He welcomed.

"Well, you know." The Colonel explained.

They opened the rear doors, motioning for her to enter.

//Is this wise?//

Sam was hesitant. At the moment, she honestly didn't know. **What else can we do?**

//Nothing, I guess.//

Slowly getting in, the men followed her. After shutting the doors, which she noticed had covered windows, they sat down on a bench opposite her. Even the view to the front of the van had been blocked off.

She heard Daniel shift into gear, and felt the vehicle begin to move as they made their way out of the facility.

After they had been driving for several minutes, Sam finally retook control. "Just what the hell are you guys doing?"

Teal'c regarded her coolly. He spoke simply. "We are kidnapping you."

Sam's jaw hung open for a few moments. Both she and Alahn were completely thrown for a loop by that statement. "Why?"

"O'Neill told me to."

Colonel O'Neill looked hurt. "Don't blame it on me."

She really wished she knew EXACTLY what 'it' was.

Teal'c turned his head towards the Colonel. "It was, in fact, your idea."

"You didn't have to go along with it."

"If I did not, you threatened to revoke my 'ice cream privileges.'"

Sam couldn't help but notice she was no closer to an answer. Were they themselves? Should she have made more of a fuss on base before they had her in such a compromising position?

"If I don't get some answers real soon..." she warned.

"Now, Carter, getting mad is no way to solve your problems." The Colonel tsked.

WHAT? "Excuse me?"

"Yelling at us isn't gonna get us to tell." He clarified.

No, she would not. After all this, they couldn't get her to.

...Well, maybe they could. She sighed. "Fine. Will one of you PLEASE tell me what the hell is going on?"

Colonel O'Neill smiled. "See, was that so hard?"

Killing him was sounding better and better each moment. "Will you tell me?" she reiterated.

"Nope."

Amendment. Killing them both sounded really good. Daniel, too, for good measure.

The van slowed, and then came to a stop. The engine turned off.

"We're here." Daniel announced.

Beside herself with anger, Sam didn't even bother to ask where 'here' was.

"You'll probably want to watch the voice thing." The Colonel warned before opening the back door.

The early morning sun poured into the back of the van. Hoping to finally figure out SOMETHING, she stepped out.

And immediately saw Janet's house, complete with a very excited Cassie on the porch.

"Guys!" Cassie exclaimed, rushing down the steps.

"Hey, kiddo." The Colonel greeted.

"It is good to see you, Cassandra Fraiser." Teal'c added.

"Cassie." Daniel nodded as he climbed out of the van, Cassie giving them all a hug in turn.

Sam was in complete shock, only able to stand there. She couldn't process the events unfolding before her. They'd woken her up with no warning, rushed her out of the base, and took her here. Legs shaking, she sat down on the bumper of the van. Sam felt tears threaten, but couldn't be sure what they were tears of.

Alahn was angry that they had been led on for this.

"Sam?" Daniel asked.

She looked at the driveway below her, trying to figure out exactly how she felt. A hand taking hers pulled Sam out of her muddled thoughts. Looking up, she saw Cassie smiling at her. Through everything, a small part of her had wondered how Cassie would take the news. It was then that she realized that part had been afraid of the answer.

"I'd wanted to see you after mom told me what had happened." Cassie stated softly, smiling.

Sam was about to speak, but remembered they were in a very public location. Alahn quickly stood up, facing Colonel O'Neill. "Why all of this?" she asked, waving wildly at the van.

Standing proudly, he replied. "Never ask an artist where he gets his inspiration."

Alahn got up, brushing Cassie aside. Sam was frustrated. Alahn was angry, and wanted to be. Sam felt so many things, anger that they had scared the hell out of both of them, relief to be off the base, confusion as to why the Colonel had thought the dramatic exit necessary, and various other feelings. She didn't really want to be angry, but with Alahn's mind thoroughly set, it was hard for her to shake it. It didn't help that this stunt only further reinforced the fact that she hadn't had much control over things lately.

She just wished that she could be happy to see Cassie for the first time in way too long.

**Well, we ARE off base.** Sam pointed out. Being stuck in the mountain had been something Alahn had gotten sick of very quickly.

Alahn stared out into the street, eyes slightly squinted. //That's true.// she conceded.

"How long?" Alahn suddenly asked, turning towards the others.

"How long what?" Daniel replied.

"How long are we staying here?"

"Until, oh-sometime-tomorrow." Colonel O'Neill answered as he looked at his watch.

A whole day? Sam was surprised when Alahn smiled slightly.

"Shall we go inside? Janet said she'd fix breakfast." Daniel stated.

Alahn's stomach rumbled in response. "Let's go."

With the previous tension now subsided, they all started up the stairs.

*

Teal'c felt relief as they all sat down at the table. He had seen the mix of emotions pass on both Major Carter's and Alahn's features. There had been several moments when he truly worried that perhaps they had overstepped things, and that Alahn was going to cause a scene. Or, more aptly, flee the scene. The situation appeared to have diffused, for which he was immensely grateful.

Doctor Fraiser could be heard nearby in the kitchen, accompanied by the sounds of various foods cooking. "I'm almost done, someone want to help me bring everything out?"

"I shall assist you, Doctor Fraiser." Teal'c rose before anyone else could respond. As he made his way into the kitchen, he heard Daniel Jackson attempting to begin a conversation.

"So, Cassie, how is school going?"

The reply was lost to him as Teal'c focused his attention on the Doctor. She stood over a large pan of eggs, which she dumped onto a plate.

"Near miss out there." She commented.

"Indeed." Teal'c replied, grabbing the plate of eggs, as well as one laden with sausages.

"I caught a glance out the window. She didn't look too happy." The Doctor explained.

"She was not." Teal'c made his way into the dining room as Janet followed with bacon and some fresh toast.

"I hope there's enough." Daniel teased as the plates were set on the table and people began to serve themselves.

"Well, I'm not going to cook again." Doctor Fraiser warned.

A small round of chuckles accompanied the remark. Teal'c was about to take his first bite when he was interrupted.

"Wait." Cassandra exclaimed, directed towards Alahn and Major Carter.

"What?" Alahn asked.

"You should try some ketchup on that." She stated, indicating her own eggs coated in the rich substance.

Cassandra and Alahn both began to laugh.

Teal'c recalled that, since discovering the condiment, Cassandra had been quite taken by it. There were very few foods that it would not accompany. Major Carter, if he remembered correctly, had never used it so much, and not on eggs. It seemed that Cassandra Fraiser was having fun with the situation.

Alahn took the proffered bottle and poured a small drop on some of her eggs. Taking a bite, she appeared pleased with the results. Pleased enough to add more to them, at least. Though it was a mundane thing, everyone started laughing. Even Teal'c cracked a smile, glad to have the time away from the pressures on base.

They ate mostly in silence, none of the food going to waste. Much of that was due to the hearty serving that Teal'c took, which really wasn't anything new.

When Doctor Fraiser got up to get the dishes, Teal'c again offered his assistance. "Well, I guess it was a good idea, after all." She commented offhandedly, loading the dishwasher.

"I had had some doubts." Teal'c confided. He had been especially concerned with the whole 'kidnapping' part, to which O'Neill had been adamant.

"I think simply being away from base is good for them both. Who knows when all of this is going to get cleared up." Teal'c heard the unspoken 'if' in Doctor Fraiser's words.

"Alahn did appear most eager at the prospect of 24 hours away from the base."

The Doctor nodded. "And Cassie's been begging to see Sam since I had a chance to tell her."

*

Jack smiled, thoroughly pleased with himself. Sure, there had been a small snag in his plan as, MAYBE he took things just a smidgen too far, but disaster had been averted, and things were looking good. The whole thing was mainly for Carter's benefit, but he had everyone else's mental health, as well as his own, to look after. He had been just as adversely affected by all the recent time spent on base as anyone else. And, if he did say so himself, the whole James Bond, 'Mission Impossible' thing had been fun.

Ok, so it had almost sent Alahn and Carter racing down the street.

Now, they looked quite content, leaning back in the chair, recuperating after the abundance of food. Cassie still looked pleased with herself, though why the whole egg stint had been at all funny, he hadn't the slightest clue. It didn't matter, the event had seemed to trigger a release for all of them. It was as though they had all been holding their breaths before that, but learned things would be ok and they could finally exhale.

He couldn't be much happier. Jack took a deep breath, inhaling fresh air that hadn't seen hide nor hair of a processor or industrial sized vent. It felt incredibly good just to sit and relax in the normal world, where people were peacefully ignorant of the perils that constantly befell their planet. Sometimes it was hard to remember that only a handful of people knew about the Stargate, or its function.

"So, whatcha wanna do?" he suddenly asked Alahn.

"Huh?" she responded, Teal'c and the Doc returning to the room.

"Don't get me wrong," Jack started, "I could just sit here all day with no complaints, but I'm sure you could do better."

The girl pondered the question for several moments. "As nice as it is to be somewhere with no concrete in sight, I've had just about enough of buildings." Alahn finally stated.

Amen to that, he thought. Buildings were definitely not appealing at the moment. So, what did that leave?"

"How about the park?" Daniel suggested.

Damn, he was just about to say that. Really, he was.

"Sounds good." Alahn commented.

"And the weather's nice, too." Cassie added.

He took that as a definite yes. "Guess it's a go. How 'bout we walk there?"

It wasn't very far, and Jack was sure Carter and Alahn weren't too keen on riding in the van again.

A round of agreements accompanied everyone getting up and heading towards the door.

*

Alahn was pleased. She was willing to forgive the over dramatic presentation of the gift for the chance of spending a whole entire day away from the dreary confines of the base and all of its trappings. The few times she had been able to go to the surface paled in comparison to this.

The walk was pleasant. It was a nice, late summer day that was proving to turn out quite a warm one.

Alahn found that part of her didn't want to participate in the conversation going on around her. Another part wanted to do all she could to establish herself with these people that Sam's thoughts and memories assured her cared about her wellbeing, as well as Sam's. She found herself gravitating towards Cassie. Though a couple years younger than herself, she was probably the most understanding of Alahn's plight.

"Hockey, Jack?" Alahn turned to Daniel as he exclaimed the words with shock.

"There's always time for hockey, Daniel." Jack assured.

**Of course, he would think that.** Sam acknowledged.

"I have observed this to not be true, O'Neill."

"It's a state of mind, T."

Teal'c gave his signature look. "It is, in fact, a game."

"You don't understand, none of you do." Jack whined.

"In this, you are correct."

"Hey!"

"Man, he can be such a clunk sometimes." Cassie muttered.

"I heard that!" Jack called back.

"Clunk?" Alahn asked at the same time.

"Yeah." Cassie responded, not explaining herself.

From Sam she got a basic idea of the slang that really wasn't. They were both puzzled as to where she had gotten the odd description. It did sound fitting, though.

When they got to the park Cassie quickly muttered a string of explanations that Alahn didn't even try to keep up with. The result was that the two girls were walking across the park alone.

"I figured you wouldn't want to spend all your time with that crowd." Cassie explained.

"No." Alahn agreed. As they continued to walk she watched the various other people there. Dogs, a creature that didn't exist in any form on her planet, were a common occurrence. Men and women jogged down the paths. Children threw balls and frisbees to each other.

She felt... jealous.

"You ok?" Cassie asked, seeing something on her face.

Alahn found herself wanting to pour her heart and soul out to this other girl. Cassie had yet to ask her how she, or they, were dealing with things, or how she felt. It was a relief, and made her want to tell Cassie everything.

**Then why don't you?** Sam asked her.

Alahn wasn't sure what it was that withheld her.

"They all think that we aren't handling this." She stated, laughing nervously. It hurt Alahn that they wouldn't believe her. Sam's position was less certain, part of her wanted them to see through to the truth, as they seemed to be doing, and take some sort of action. The better they both tried to be, the more the others almost seemed to accuse them for it. They acted as though she and Sam had no right to be ok.

"Yeah." Cassie agreed, picking a small, white flower as they walked down the path.

Alahn had expected her to launch into some sort of tirade that perhaps they were right. She didn't know how to react when it became apparent that single word was all Cassie would put forth on the subject.

**Cassie's a smart girl, not to mention she knows what it's like to be hovered over.**

Alahn nodded, but for some reason, even though it would annoy her, she was partially upset that Cassie didn't pursue the opening. The one person she might be willing to open up to, for what reason, she couldn't say, was the only one who wasn't really interested in talking, it seemed. Well, maybe she was interested, but she wasn't pushing like the other's tended to do.

Looking back to see if they were out of sight of the others, Alahn sat down against a nearby tree. Cassie quickly took her lead and sat next to Alahn.

She couldn't believe she was actually trying to initiate things. "Why can't they just accept that we're ok when we say we are?"

Cassie didn't look at her, twirling the stem in her fingers. "They're smarter than that. You probably gave them a reason to doubt you, too."

It skipped Alahn's notice that Cassie was automatically assuming they weren't ok.

"But none of them will stop asking me how I'm doing, or Sam." Alahn sighed.

"It's probably far too late for you to get them to believe. They never put these kind of issues aside until they're dealt with. If you ever want them to stop, you're going to have to spill."

"There's nothing to spill." Alahn tried to reply as nonchalantly as possible.

"See, that was very unbelievable. The slight hesitation, the overly smooth tone. Trying too hard to cover it up is just as telltale as breaking down around them." Cassie responded as she turned towards Alahn, her voice simply explanatory, without accusation.

They had both known it all along, but denial and an unwillingness to actually talk about everything had stopped anything from coming of it.

"I don't want to talk about it, that's the whole point."

"You're talking about it with me." Cassie observed.

"But, the... that's different." She tried to explain.

"If you say so." Cassie started picking at the flower.

**She's right, you know.** Sam added.

//Oh, and we'll simply walk up and explain everything.// Opening up like that was something that Alahn wasn't comfortable with doing.

**I didn't say it would be easy, just that we should.**

"Everything's just so hard to explain." Alahn threw out, hoping to find some sort of excuse.

"They say that talking helps," Cassie nodded her head in the group's general direction, "and, so far, they haven't been wrong."

Sure, part of her wanted every argument she could come up with to be shot down, but then she wouldn't have anything to hide behind. Irony of the highest order. It was annoying to be pulled in two directions, wanting to tell and wishing to hide everything. Alahn already had a fair idea which side would end up winning, though.

"Well, they could be, for once." She offered lamely.

"Yeah," Cassie agreed, "but I don't think so."

"Yeah." Alahn echoed.

*

Daniel took a few steps out before turning around and sitting on the bench nearby. The sun felt nice, and he could hardly spot a cloud in the sky. As nice as the scene was, especially completed with the various carefree people that were in the park, he couldn't quite get himself to unwind that far.

"So, exactly how long has it been since we've seen Earth outside of the base?" Jack suddenly asked, breaking their silence.

"Twenty-two days, O'Neill." Teal'c stated.

Damn, Daniel could have sworn it was a lot longer. Not that 22 days was anything to gawk at. Nearly a month confined to the mountain, only broken by an odd mission with torture and impending doom. Not what he considered relaxing, at all.

Well, they were out now, and Daniel figured that was what mattered.

"Well, everyone finally has a chance to take a breath. I'm just glad that Lieutenant Bradly was moved to stable condition a couple days ago." Janet explained.

"So, he's gonna make it?" Jack replied, his voice truly concerned for the kid.

"It's looking very promising at this point."

"That's good." Daniel responded. One death was more than enough, he thought.

There was a moment of silence as everyone took in the news.

"I feel like I should be back on the base translating." He suddenly blurted out. It felt wrong to just be sitting around while something so important was waiting to be done.

"Ah, ah!" Jack waggled his finger, turning towards Daniel. "We shall have none of that. Today, the mountain, and all of its worries, do not exist."

"But..."

"Daniel W. Jackson." Jack scolded, crossing his arms and frowning.

The scene was amusing, and he also wanted to continue his rebuttal, but something else caught Daniel's attention. "W?"

"Yes, W."

"Jack, my middle name does NOT begin with a W."

"Could've fooled me, Whineypants." Jack replied with a totally serious expression.

"Do you know how old you sound right now?" Daniel asked.

"I know what you are, but what am I?"

Daniel couldn't help himself. He shook his head. "You are such a baby. A big, old, baby."

"Teal'c," Jack whined like the child he was accused of being, "he's calling me names!"

"Hey, that's not fair! You can't have Teal'c come to your rescue. Besides, he likes me more, don't you, Teal'c?" Daniel gave his most innocent smile to the large man.

He merely raised his eyebrow, apparently unwilling to take sides in their little debacle. When Jack's pleading gaze turned towards Janet, she threw up her hands and shook her head.

"Looks like it's just you and me."

"Are we going to get caught up in a name calling war?" Daniel couldn't help but ask. Just how childish was Jack going to get right now?

"Hey, you called me old. The gloves are off, buddy."

Daniel looked at him oddly. "So, I can call you a baby, but not old?"

"I have my dignity." Daniel watched as Jack seemed to puff up like a bird showing off.

He could only shake his head and try to suppress a laugh.

"Indeed, O'Neill, for a human you have 'surpassed the summit.'" Teal'c commented.

"That's 'over the hill,' Teal'c." Daniel advised.

Jack looked hurt. "Not over the hill, more like at the peak, viewing all you poor people trudging on up."

"You're right, you're right. My bad." Daniel acquiesced, not really wanting to get into it with the other man.

"I'm glad you're able to see wisdom, Daniel."

It was only just then that Daniel realized he had all but forgotten the seed of their dispute, him wanting to work. Obviously, it had been Jack's intention. He could be sly when he wanted to.

Janet scanned the surrounding area. "Where did Cassie run off to?"

"They're out there, somewhere." Jack replied, waving his hand at the park before him.

Daniel suddenly was aware he couldn't recall what Cassie had said to them before making a hasty exit with Alahn. Well, they were most likely talking to each other in private. He figured it was probably a good thing, Alahn got to have contact with someone more her age, and their situation wasn't all that dissimilar. They were both alien to this world, and, as things now stood, neither could return home.

Maybe Cassie could succeed where they all had been failing.

Trying to push those thoughts aside for a while, Daniel sighed and leaned back in the bench. There wasn't anything he could do at the moment, so he might as well not fret about it. His mind had a hard time seeing it that way, though, and he had a hard time making himself not worry. Of course, he had little else to occupy his mind with, which certainly didn't help.

"Funny, now that we actually have this time off base, it's hard to think of what to do with it." Daniel commented absently.

"Isn't that how it always is." Jack replied, finally sitting down himself.

Daniel nodded, it always did seem to go that way. It didn't matter, aside from his unshakable unease, he didn't mind if they just stayed there and did absolutely nothing. It was refreshing to simply exist, or as close to that state as he could get himself.

*

Teal'c sat in the backyard of the house, performing kel'no'reem. They had returned to Doctor Fraiser's home for lunch and now everyone was lazily going about whatever business they felt like doing. As he settled himself into meditation, Teal'c could hear the faint sounds of televised sports coming from inside.

Exhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind. Concentrating on achieving total calm, Teal'c prepared himself for the maintenance his prim'ta would perform.

Just as his mind was almost deep enough, the sound of someone treading on the grass nearby disturbed him.

Teal'c didn't open his eyes, or make any movement. He listened as the person came to a stop beside him and lowered to the ground. Neither spoke, both simply sitting there. He could sense the symbiote, so he knew who was beside him.

Sighing heavily, the resonance of a symbiote clearly audible, Major Carter finally spoke. "I'm not interrupting you, am I?"

"You are not." Teal'c responded as he opened his eyes, though, technically, she was.

She was quiet for several moments longer. He could hear her slightly hastened breathing, belying her anxiety. Still, he waited for her to talk.

"Nice day out." She stated nervously, looking up at the clear sky.

"It is." He could tell that she wanted to speak about something more substantial, but was struggling with the words.

"Twenty-two days." Major Carter mused. "So, that would be almost 21 days since we went to P2C 421."

Teal'c nodded at the designation of the planet they had encountered the pyramid on and, therefore, the start of recent events.

"Feels like so much longer."

For a moment, he thought she was going to expand on her thought, but whatever she was going to say remained unspoken. Teal'c knew she was fighting to get something off of her chest, perhaps Alahn's as well, but he wasn't sure what he should do. Prying could cause her to lose whatever drive she had, and Teal'c wanted Major Carter to put voice to her troubles.

Not knowing what else to do, Teal'c simply stared ahead and hoped she'd continue.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the debate on her features. She sucked in a shaky breath, closing her eyes. It was obvious to him that she and Alahn were taking two very different sides in whatever it was they wished to accomplish.

"Is there something you wish to discuss?" he asked, hoping to give her an opening.

"I, uh..." Major Carter looked extremely apprehensive. He wasn't sure what she was going to do. "No, Teal'c. It's nothing... I'm gonna go now."

Quickly, she got up and walked back to the house. Teal'c continued to stare forward for several moments. She had been so close to saying something. Exactly what, he was unsure. All he knew was that, whatever it was going to be, it would have been a good start for further communication.

He was sad that one or both of them allowed fear to get in the way of something that was obviously important.

Evening was approaching, the sun well on its way down the sky. He watched the shadows stretch lazily along the grass, seeming to reach for something they could never quite catch. At the moment, there was nothing he could do.

Exhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind. Concentrating on achieving total calm, Teal'c prepared himself for the maintenance his prim'ta would perform.

*

Janet sat on the couch beside the Colonel, some television program droning softly in the background, her head resting on the back. She thought it was a documentary, but couldn't be bothered to lift her head and check. The latest days had drained her as much as any of the others there. She had had Sam, both a friend and a patient, to worry about, and then along came Bradly. Janet really could have done without either, but as a doctor she was forced to thrust herself right into the heat of things.

Fighting, she tried to get the image of Bradly out of her mind. Warner had been on his way home at that time, so she'd had to begin the exploratory surgery herself. It definitely wasn't something she enjoyed remembering. The only positive thing from the experience was, barring infections or unforeseen complications, the Lieutenant would pull through.

All she really had left to worry about was Sam. She had to wonder whether those translations would be of any help, or just another hard surface to smash all of their hopes against. This was wearing on them all, Sam and Alahn the most. They had yet to truly deal with it. Janet realized that they should have tried to do more in the beginning. Of course, it had been easy to just leave it, with the hopes that Daniel would be able to pull her through it. Then again, he'd had his own problems to deal with, too.

Janet almost gasped at the sudden revelation. Since Sam was no longer in Daniel, it seemed that everyone, including her, had all but forgotten what he had been through. And, of course, Daniel being Daniel, he wouldn't raise a fuss about himself, especially with everyone worrying about someone else. She could kick herself for being so naive.

Deciding to correct the problem, Janet made her way to the dining room where Daniel sat reading at the table. Since Colonel O'Neill had prohibited anything work related, he sat over one of the mystery novels she had lying around her house.

"Figure it out, yet?" she asked, taking a seat across from him.

Looking up, he gave her a small smile. "I only just started."

"I thought you'd be a natural at that sort of thing."

"Maybe," he replied offhandedly, "but not in 37 pages."

"Almost forgot what the outside world looked like." Janet stated, wondering just how to broach the subject without clobbering him over the head with it.

"It has been a while."

"Certainly wasn't one of my better weeks." As she said it, she realized it wasn't nearly as subtle as she had hoped.

Daniel wasn't oblivious, knowing that something was going on. "Don't I know it." He spoke cautiously.

Shaking her head, Janet chuckled at herself. "Ok, now that I completely messed that up, I guess I should get to it. You want to talk?"

"About what?" Daniel cocked his head.

Couldn't he put one and one together? "I don't know... Maybe there's something from your brief time as a host that you'd like to discuss."

"Janet..." he started.

"Daniel, if you're going to try to twist this to make it about Sam, stop right now. Everyone, including you, has been trying to do what they can to help her through this. She's not lacking in support right now. You, as it has come to my attention, have been virtually neglected."

"There isn't much to say." He smiled at her, shifting in his chair.

"Much," Janet mimicked, "but there is something." She concluded.

Daniel dropped the book so he could grab his forearms. "Well, even though it was only two weeks, I got used to having her there."

"I couldn't imagine what that must be like." Having someone's thoughts in your head all the time was definitely a strange concept. But to live it...

"Anything that Sam thought or felt at any given moment, I could see it, or even feel it myself."

Janet didn't have a reply, deciding not to give voice to an awed 'wow.' Not that the information itself was shocking, but the way Daniel said it added so much more meaning. It was obvious, even if she hadn't been aware prior, that some of the thoughts were not positive.

He continued on anyway. "I mean, it was weird, but it seemed to become so natural. Makes it easier to understand the Tok'ra as a people."

"And now, you're back to basics."

"If Terak would've just believed us, Sam wouldn't have this extra problem to deal with."

Whether he was intentionally diverting the attention from himself, Janet couldn't be sure.

"You both must have better insight into each other now."

"Definitely." Daniel stated absently.

"And you miss that."

"Silly, huh?" he chuckled.

"I wouldn't say that. Knowing you, Daniel, what bothers you the most is that you can't help her out like you did before." Janet pointed out.

"Yeah, it was definitely a lot easier to do something when I knew exactly what was going on in her mind."

Janet nodded. "I'm sure it was."

*

Sam lay on the bed that had been set up for her, staring at the lamp that lit the ceiling. They had actually decided to go through and try to talk to someone. A brief, but heated, discussion had charged Sam with the dialogue. Nervous as hell, she went off bound and determined. Janet and Daniel were out of the question, she was sure both would overreact. Cassie didn't deserve such burdens and she had no clue how she'd even begin to approach the Colonel. Teal'c seemed the best option. He was thoughtful and would give her space, which she so desperately needed.

They had been so close! Sam had sat herself right beside him. Teal'c acted just as she had predicted. He didn't pry, waiting for her to come out on her own terms. Though she hadn't looked at him too much, she could feel him asking her to talk, letting her know he would listen, something in his presence relayed that. The closer she got to saying anything on the subject of her or Alahn, though, the tighter her stomach seemed to tie itself. And then when she had been able to overcome that, Alahn had lost her nerve, demanding they not go through with it.

She was scared what the others would think of her. Her fear had naturally compounded Sam's own that she had just been able to deal with.

Almost immediately after the fiasco, Sam had made her way upstairs and they had been there ever since.

**So close.** Sam thought angrily, on the verge of tears. It would have only taken three words to seal the deal. All she needed to do was say something like 'I need help' and there would have been no backing out.

//You've been through so much, they'll look down on us for not being able to handle this.// Alahn said, using Sam's own memories as evidence. Odd things happened around the base all the time, and Sam hadn't made a habit of breaking down with each new occurrence.

But still, Sam knew it wasn't true. They wanted to help her. This wasn't something they were expecting her to come out of with a simple shrug, and the longer it went on, the more she realized it wasn't going to turn out that way no matter how much she'd like it to. Even with all the logical arguments, Sam couldn't bring herself to put this knowledge to the test.

**It shouldn't be so hard.** Not when everyone was already aware things weren't in top shape. She had even been inside Daniel, shouldn't that make it easier to talk to him? Strangely, he was the person that made her most nervous and apprehensive when she thought about getting things out in the open.

//It's because none of them truly understand.// Alahn supplied disdainfully.

**But Daniel does understand.**

That hit a sore spot with Alahn. //He doesn't. He didn't have to go through what I did.//

Sam tried her best to comfort her. **Maybe not, but he knows better than any of them what it's like to deal with all of these thoughts.**

//I don't want to deal with your thoughts and my thoughts and our thoughts. I want to go home.// She may not have had any parents to return to, but Alahn did have a grandmother, friends, and an entire community back on the planet.

Of course, Terak's jaffa prevented them from doing anything about it.

A soft rapping on the door jam interrupted their internal conversation. Cassie's head poked though the slightly opened door. "Can I come in?"

Sam nodded, pushing herself into a sitting position. She hadn't had much time to personally talk with Cassie, a park wasn't a good setting for symbiote tones to ring through the air. "Hey."

With no spectators, Cassie didn't hesitate to rush across the small room and wrap Sam in a big hug, careful of her wounded arm. Sam returned the embrace.

"I was afraid I'd never get a chance to see you. Mom wouldn't let me come to the base for so long." Cassie explained, still holding onto her.

"I missed you, too." Sam replied.

There was a long silence as Cassie sat on the bed, turned towards Sam. She just sat that way for a few moments, deciding what to say. "There's a cure, right?"

Cassie's eyes turned bright, and Sam had to take a shuddering breath. She really hoped so. "I don't know."

"Well, there has to be." Cassie decided, her voice wavering noticeably.

"It doesn't always work that way." Sam spoke as softly as her voice would allow. She took Cassie's hand into hers. "I don't think the things that made this ever intended to go back to the way they were."

She didn't want to spread her negativity, but needed to make sure Cassie didn't have unrealistic hopes when they most likely failed.

"You don't think there is one?" The crushed look on Cassie's face, and the tears that started to fall hurt Sam like no physical blow could. She tried to hold back her own flood.

"Cassie, I'm just saying there may not be one. We haven't stopped searching."

Cassie pulled her hand away, looking betrayed. "But you don't think you'll find anything."

"Cassie." She didn't know what to say. Sam didn't think they'd find anything, Alahn either. Cassie looked dejected, apparently deciding that if Sam didn't think that it was going to happen, then it wasn't.

"You don't..." Cassie began as she stood up, but had to collect herself before she could finish. "You don't want to find a way to fix this!"

"How can you say that?" Sam asked. It was the one thing she wanted worst of all, but she just didn't think it was plausible.

"You've given up. If you did want it, you'd still be trying."

The accusation slammed her. "Please don't say that."

Cassie turned away, staring at the wall. Her arms were crossed, and from Sam's angle she could see the bobbing of her shoulders, accompanied by the occasional shaky inhalation of air. She didn't know what to say to the girl she thought of as a surrogate child.

"I just want things back to normal. I want you back to normal." Cassie suddenly blurted out between sobs.

"I know," Sam said, crossing the room to where Cassie stood, "I know, and I want it, too."

Cassie turned around, and Sam wrapped her in a tight hug.

*

General Hammond watched as his 2IC entered his office. Colonel O'Neill did look rejuvenated, but he wasn't so foolish as to think that one day had solved all of their problems.

"How was the excursion, Colonel?" he asked.

"Excursing, sir. All in all, it seems to have done everyone a bit of good." O'Neill commented.

"Good. The Tok'ra have been continuing their translations of Doctor Jackson's footage, and have just sent us their latest batches." Hammond informed him.

"So things are running along smoothly, then?"

"At the moment, it appears so." Smiling knowingly, Hammond continued. "I take it Doctor Jackson is already in his office."

"Like a speeding bullet, sir."

"Of course." He hadn't expected otherwise. "Is there anything else I should be aware of?"

"Nothing that you don't already know, General."

Hammond nodded. "Dismissed."

"Sir." Colonel O'Neill left the office.

The General just sat there for a few moments. The obvious strain on his people was not something he liked to see. All in all, that comment had told him that there were still some rough edges that needed to be ironed out. But the lightness that Jack had carried himself spoke volumes of the good that had been done. Sometimes they just needed reminding that there was a world outside of the base.

He had yet to see just how everyone else had taken the time away, but he trusted Jack to have told him if anything had gotten worse. So, Hammond felt he could safely assume that affairs were no worse than before, perhaps a bit better. If nothing else, hopefully their brief respite would allow them all to hold on a little longer, until a solution was found.

Well, all he could really do at the moment was wait for the collective efforts of Doctor Jackson and the Tok'ra to reveal whether or not those tablets were going to help them.

*

Jack strode into Daniel's office. Instead of immediately interrupting the man, he got caught up in the video footage that Daniel was watching. So, he thought idly, that's what Daniel was doing while he and Teal'c were exchanging shots with the jaffa. All they went through so that Daniel could pour over some poorly lit footage... he only hoped it would turn out to be worth it.

Daniel, of course, was thoroughly engrossed in his work.

As the archaeologist lifted his head from his journal, he saw Jack's between him and the screen. Jack smiled as he jumped in shock. "Um, hi, Jack."

"Daniel." He greeted in return. "TV's bad for you, you know?"

"Yeah," Daniel agreed hesitantly, "I'm kind of in the middle of something here."

"In the middle of getting your butt out of this office for a while."

"Jack, it's only been..." Daniel glanced up at the clock, and paused. "Four hours?"

"Yup. Now I expect you to go to the commissary to get some real food, not those chocolate bars you like to stash in your desk."

"Real food?"

D'oh, Jack frowned. "Ok, my bad. You are to get some food-like... things from the commissary. And I don't want to see you anywhere near your office for at least half an hour. At least." He stressed.

"Aw, come on, Jack." Daniel pleaded.

"Just be glad I didn't say one hour."

Sighing in defeat, Daniel dropped his journal onto the desk and slowly trundled his way out the door. Jack had to fight back a sigh of relief. Daniel didn't seem to have noticed his little comment about the chocolate.

Peaking out the doorway to make sure Daniel was no longer in sight, Jack made his way to the desk and took one of the aforementioned stashed candy bars.

*

Alahn sat on a stool in Sam's lab. It seemed as good a place to be as any. The stressed looks she had seen that morning before they had returned to the base told her that the others had at least partially overheard Sam's heated discussion with Cassie. Their faces had been more than Alahn could stand, so she had made herself scarce as soon as the opportunity arose.

She didn't enjoy pity.

They all felt sorry for her. Alahn had only just been able to realize this. That wasn't what she wanted, though. She wanted a solution, not sympathy.

**Everyone's doing what they can.** Sam reminded.

//I know.// Alahn allowed. It was just if she wasn't angry, she'd have to deal with a whole assortment of emotions she'd rather not.

**You're going to have to sometime.**

//Not if this gets undone.// she argued.

She felt Sam's weariness at fighting with her over this. It had become a near constant struggle between them. While Sam was gravitating more towards seeking someone out and actually talking about things, Alahn was still adamant against it. Though it wasn't the most comfortable situation now, she knew that bringing everything out in the open, acknowledging everything, would feel much worse.

It was that realization that made her stop Sam when she had sought out Teal'c.

If she could get everyone to back off, maybe she could forget the whole thing ever happened. Get back to normal and put aside the memories of her abduction, the 'blending,' and subsequent torture. Alahn just wanted to move on, but they wouldn't let her.

**You can't just avoid the problem. That will only make things worse.** Sam tried to advise her.

//Well, I'm tired of thinking about it, aren't you? Can't we just... think about nothing for a while?// Alahn suggested. Sam saw the merit in her argument, both of them were losing their cool.

So, Alahn sat there, staring at the various items scattered across the table, thinking about nothing more than how the lights reflected off of them.

TBC


	5. Bait

Title: Legacy of the Xel'naga 5: Bait

Author: Confushi Sushi

Email: confushi_

Rating: PG13 (some swearing, mention of alien nudity, but no details)

Spoilers: Thor's Hammer, 202 ITLOD

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst

Pairing(s): none in this part

Season: Looking like sometime late 3rd, maybe 4th

Summary: When meeting the Xel'nagans, SG-1 finds a lot that doesn't seem to make sense.

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back, I swear.

A/N: Running out of new and interesting things to say. As previously stated, I'm only using the Xel'naga name because it's cool, so don't hurt me. Still love Blizzard ;-) Would LOVE to hear what you think about this piece, even if it's just a line saying you liked it or hated it. PLEASE!!!! Huge thanx and lots of love to Kalliope for the beta, apparently I forgot what a tense was this time around. Mistakes? I'm perfect, ya know ;-P But, if they WERE to exist, they're all mine.

*

As was usual these recent days, Daniel could be found pouring over the recordings garnered from the previous mission to the alien planet, scribbling notes into his various journals. Every few hours Jack, Sam, and/or Teal'c would come to rescue him from his work, forcing him to take time off to eat, or just plain rest for a while.

"Daniel Jackson." Apparently, this time, it was Teal'c's turn.

"I'm almost done with this section, Teal'c. Give me a minute, ok?" In fact, Daniel was almost done with the whole thing, thanks to help from the Tok'ra, and was currently translating the writings on the seventh sphere. Teal'c had taken position off to his side, and Daniel could just make out his friend's bowed head of acquiescence.

If he hadn't been so caught up with his work, he would have taken more notice in the fact that no one had asked him what he had found out so far. They even went so far as to interrupt him when he tried to talk on the subject. Now that Daniel thought about it, he figured they wanted to put any bad news off for as long as possible. He could live with that, they'd be there for the briefing when he presented his findings to General Hammond, anyway. Daniel smiled to himself. They'd just have to wait to hear what he had learned.

And, boy, what he had learned.

Finishing up on the current section, Daniel stopped the recording and put away his journal. As he turned to face Teal'c, he had to rub his eyes against the strain of looking at a screen for so long. He couldn't help his excitement pouring into his words. "So, Teal'c, what'll it be?"

"I have come to ask if you would wish to accompany Alahn to the surface with me."

"Kill two birds with one stone, eh, Teal'c?" Daniel smiled knowingly, receiving a questioning look from Teal'c. He could see what the jaffa was trying to do. General Hammond had declared that Sam could leave the mountain, but not the compound altogether, and only with some sort of escort. It's not that he didn't trust her, he just didn't trust certain other people out there. The General figured they shouldn't press their luck, in that regard.

Teal'c was trying to lighten her mood, being stuck on base so long was enough to make anyone stir crazy, and at the same time look out for Daniel's health.

"Sure, Teal'c. Sounds great."

Alahn and Sam had obviously not been expecting the gesture, but the look Alahn gave them made it apparent that she wasn't going to refuse. The more Daniel thought about it, though, the more he realized that he needed some fresh air, too. It wasn't like any of SG-1 had left the base, either. Except for the single day that Jack had arranged, they hadn't been off the premises. How could they when Sam was stuck there?

"I hope it's sunny out." Alahn stated excitedly as they waited for the elevator to take them to the top level. Daniel couldn't help but feel a little jealous when he looked down at her arm. It hadn't taken long for Sam to heal the break after they returned, especially when she didn't have to worry about conserving energy to run away from the latest threat, and now there was virtually no sign of the injury.

"I have been told that the weather is most agreeable." Teal'c replied.

And the weather was beautiful, Daniel thought. The sun shone brilliantly overhead, reflecting off of the surrounding foliage.

Alahn was off like a dart.

Unable to help himself, Daniel leaned in close to Teal'c, almost whispering. "Whose idea do you think that was?"

Teal'c simply stood where he was, holding his arms behind his back.

Shaking his head to himself, Daniel set off in the direction Alahn had taken to, spotting her a ways down the slope, kneeling over some flowers. As he made his way down to where she was, he heard Teal'c's footfalls sound behind him.

"I can't believe you spend all day underground when you have this all around you." Alahn stated, sweeping her hand to take in the scenery before them.

As Daniel looked around, he was forced to agree. "Neither can I."

Sighing to herself, Alahn laid down on the slope, cushioning her head with her hands. Daniel could tell that she was much more comfortable in her own dress than she had been in BDUs. It suited her, he thought, the muted earth tones reminding him of the clothes of Abydos. He inhaled sharply at the bittersweet memories that were dredged up.

Daniel laid down beside her, taking up a similar position. He had to admit it was nice to just lay there in the sun, not worrying about anything at all.

"You miss your home, don't you?" he asked softly. Daniel couldn't help but wonder what would happen to Alahn when all this was over with. He refused to believe that they wouldn't find a way to help Sam. If Alahn wanted to stay on Earth, they'd find a way to make it happen, just like Cassandra. But, if she wanted to go back home... there didn't seem to be anything they could do about it.

"Not the place, so much." She replied, still looking at the sky.

"You have family back there? Your mom and dad?"

"Just Grandmother. Mother died giving birth to me, and Father..." Daniel's face was turned toward her, and he Alahn suck in a breath against emotions that were obviously raging underneath. He waited for her to continue, but all she did was shut her eyes tight. A tear escaped, running down the side of her face.

"I lost my parents when I was young." He confided. It didn't take a genius to figure out both of her parents were dead.

Alahn turned to him. "You did?"

Apparently it was one of the things she hadn't yet gleaned from Sam.

"Yeah," Daniel responded, feeling his chest tighten, "They were setting up an exhibit at a museum. There was an accident, and the stones collapsed."

By the shocked look on her face, he knew, whether Sam had meant to or not, Alahn had seen her memories from the Gamekeeper's planet. "You... saw that?"

Daniel simply nodded, not trusting himself with words at that moment.

They stayed like that for a while, simply laying there and looking at the sun overhead. Teal'c remained at a distance, apparently not wanting to intrude upon the moment.

"I didn't see my father die." Alahn stated suddenly.

"Doesn't make it any easier."

"No." she agreed.

They just laid there in silence for a little while, both mulling over what they had just learned about the other.

Teal'c finally came up to them. "Shall I procure the noonday meal so that we may consume it here?"

"Sounds like a plan. What do you think?" Daniel asked Alahn.

"Every minute we don't have to spend inside is a plus."

*

Jack began his way up the stairs to the briefing room. He noticed that he was taking his time, dreading what might await him at the top. None of them knew exactly what Daniel had found out, worried that it might not be what they wanted. Of course, Daniel had tried to tell him several times about his progress, which Jack would try to stop. Just because Daniel was excited about something didn't mean it was useful. If all of this was for naught, he wanted to hold on to hope as long as possible.

Finally making it to the top, he saw that the others were already there. Looking at Daniel, he tried to read the man. But he just couldn't tell whether he had good news or bad. Sitting down at the table, he continued to eye Daniel.

"Good of you to join us, Colonel." General Hammond announced.

"Good to be here, sir." Jack responded with a smile that was brighter than he currently felt.

Shaking his head slightly, Hammond continued. "Doctor Jackson, if you'd begin."

Nodding, Daniel stood up, turned down the lights, and started the projector. A freeze frame of one of the spheres came up. "As you all know, I've been translating the writings on these spheres, using the Gould sections as reference for the alien text. They're a history of Xel'naga."

"Xel'naga?" Carter immediately asked.

"It's the alien's name for the planet. It was their home world. The information dates all the way back to the time of 'the ancestors.' There's a story from that time that tells of beings who once visited their world. It says that the leader was 'surrounded by warriors whose stone sticks shot flames as hot as the sun.' And the leader's 'eyes burned like fire, killing one of it's entourage with a wave of its hand.'" Daniel explained.

"The Goa'uld." Teal'c supplied.

"So it would seem. Now, with the technology they had of that day, it's reasonable for them to believe that the Gould was a god. Apparently it was just a one time appearance, and the Gould wasn't seen again."

"How would that explain the temple? These aliens obviously had access to the Gould's writing. They even knew what one really looked like, judging from the pictures there." The General questioned, referring to the gem inlays of Gould symbiotes that had been on the pyramid.

"Um, ok, I guess I put it the wrong way. THAT Gould never returned, nor did any others for a long time. There was a long period, it's hard to tell how long because they measure everything in generations and ages, neither of which is specifically defined, but there was a long time where they were under a monarchy, if you will. One person, the Toram, ruled all of their people. The Xel'nagans have a caste system: warriors, workers, priests, scientists, and some others."

"And what happened to this monarchy?" Jack asked, noticing the tenses used.

"It was overthrown." Daniel replied.

"By whom?" Carter asked.

"A warrior named Kantari, who was, I think you'll find this interesting, 'touched' by the gods. Actually, for the most part he's referred to as Kantari-Tralik." Daniel stopped there, allowing the news to sink in.

"Your saying a Gould took control of these people?" Hammond asked after a few moments.

"Not any Gould, sir. That good-for-nothing snakehead from the planet's brother." Jack clarified.

"Actually, these people weren't enslaved. In fact, many benefits came out of Kantari's rise to power. At first, there was conflict between the fanatics that followed the gods above all else, and thus, followed Kantari, and those who were loyal to the Toram, or Stenkato, as he was known. It was short, and Kantari rose to power. Instead of proclaiming himself Toram, he created a council of seven to take the place of the absolute ruler, taking the seat of High Councilor. It was from him that the language of the Gould was taken, and only the Councilors could learn it. He ordered the pyramid to be created, and all of the councilors were blended. He believed that two minds were ultimately wiser than one." Daniel replied.

"Hold the phone. You did not just say what I think you said." Jack uttered in pure disbelief.

"What do you think I said?"

"That this guy went to their planet, said 'to hell' with dominating or destroying these people, and went OUT OF his way to help them out?"

"Well, not in those words." Daniel answered.

"Um... we are talking about a Gould, right?" Jack questioned.

"Indeed, we are. Tralik has committed crimes as heinous as any Goa'uld." Teal'c agreed.

"Ok. Now, am I the only one that thinks this doesn't make any sense, whatsoever?"

The looks Jack received from around the table told him that everyone agreed with his assessment.

"It definitely doesn't track with normal Gould behavior." Hammond interjected.

"Perhaps this Kantari was able to influence Tralik, as Kendra did to lure her symbiote to Cimmeria." Teal'c put forth.

Daniel was the one to finally answer. "Well, they are a different species. Who knows what effect their physical difference might have on the blending process. Anyway, it seems that after he set down various laws, he disappeared."

"How so?" Teal'c asked.

"Just one day, he was gone."

Jack leaned back in his chair, running his hands through his hair. Leave it to Daniel to speak for so long and skirt the main issue. "Is there anything that can help us?"

"Maybe." Daniel replied.

"Maybe?"

"It depends on how willing the Xel'nagans are to help." Daniel answered with a smile.

"What?" Carter queried, obviously confused. Everyone else was taken aback by the statement, as well. Just what was he implying?

"The spheres talk about the capital being moved to Kantari's home planet when he came to power."

"I thought you said that world was their home world." She rebutted.

"They'd expanded since then. The seat of power was moved to a place called Ascorza." Daniel continued.

"I believe we're missing something here, Daniel. How does one find this Ascorza?" Jack wondered. Simply having the name of a planet did them little good.

"Easy." Daniel replied, pressing a button on the remote. The picture changed to a different view of a sphere. Either the top or the bottom, he had no way of knowing which, a symbol was plainly visible encircled by the text.

A Stargate symbol.

"Seven spheres, seven symbols." Daniel added.

They were all speechless. Of course, Jack realized it would be pretty silly to expect these people who were advanced enough to make a machine that could transform a person to be confined to just one world. Especially when the machine itself was on another planet.

"So, you're saying that these guys are living it up on another planet?" Jack clarified.

"If these stones are anything to go by, yes."

Jack looked over to Carter. It was obvious that she didn't know how to feel about the whole situation. There was excitement on her face, but she fought it down with worry. They were so close, but he knew she didn't want to get her hopes up.

He was kind of on the fence himself.

"Well, sir?" Jack looked to Hammond.

"Before any team is sent, we will send a MALP through and attempt to establish radio contact. If no threats are found, or we are invited onto the planet, then you may proceed." The General stated.

"General, I can read their language with my notes, but speaking it is something else altogether. I had no idea what the Ancients language sounded like until Jack started speaking it. We won't have a clue what they're saying." Daniel warned.

"Some of them do speak Gould, though, if what you've told us is at all correct."

"Well, we won't know until we try, sir." Jack responded.

To that Hammond gave a nod. "The probe will be sent through in one hour. I want you all ready to depart at that time."

"Yes, sir."

*

As they suited up, Teal'c was glad to note that the mood was not strained as it had been the last time they had prepared for a mission. It was replaced with apprehension, though. They all knew the importance of this mission. In a few minutes Major Carter's fate could very well be sealed. It depended on whether or not they found the Xel'nagans, and whether or not they would, or could, help.

"There's something that's been eating at me. If they weren't all on that planet, and killed by our friendly neighborhood snakehead, then how come they didn't take back what was theirs?" O'Neill asked.

"It is possible that they did make the attempt, and failed." Teal'c offered.

"We have virtually no idea about their social structure and how they'd retaliate, or even if they do retaliate." Daniel Jackson replied, stuffing notebooks into his pack.

"That leaves a lot of unanswered questions. We hardly know any more about these people than when we first started." Major Carter sighed heavily. There wasn't really anything to say in reply, so they continued prepping in silence and made their way to the control room.

They would just have to see what would happen.

Teal'c watched as the wormhole opened, verifying that the coordinates Daniel Jackson obtained were valid. He noticed that his friends eyed the 'gate with apprehensive stares. Whatever was to happen, they didn't want to miss it.

The MALP trundled up the ramp, slurping its way to the planet on the other side. After several seconds the video feed returned through the wormhole, giving them a view of seemingly endless vegetation. Trees were all that the MALP could see, even as the camera panned all the way around.

General Hammond glanced at the technician, who nodded that they were ready to send audio.

"To any who may receive this message, I am General Hammond of Earth. I wish to speak with a representative of those who call themselves the Xel'nagans." Hammond stated, Daniel Jackson repeating the message in Goa'uld. They waited several moments as the signal was repeated on various frequencies.

No responses came.

"Sir?" O'Neill asked.

"You have a go. Report back in 3 days."

*

Sam squinted against the sun that greeted them on the other side. It appeared to be about noontime on the planet, the bright rays filtering through the trees overhead. The team took a few moments to adjust to the light levels and scan the surrounding area before continuing. The Stargate disengaged behind them.

It was depressingly devoid of signs of civilization.

Not that they could see far through the thick vegetation, but the overgrowth indicated that the Stargate hadn't been used in some time. Trees and shrubs were growing up all around it. The new growth was easily distinguishable from the ancient trees, showing that the clearing around the 'gate had been easily three times its current size.

Alahn was also less than excited. She had been looking forward to returning to something like a normal life, but present signs weren't boding well for that. They hadn't started searching yet, but neither of them were holding out much realistic hope of actually finding anything.

"Ok, Daniel, where to?" Colonel O'Neill questioned.

"Why are you asking me? I don't know." Daniel quickly shot back.

"You're the one who had the balls," the Colonel turned towards them, revealing a smirk, "shouldn't you know something?"

Daniel looked at him in shock, before adopting a hurt expression.

"I'm sorry, Jack, the spheres didn't have detailed maps of the planet." He crossed his arms and huffed at the rambunctious CO.

Colonel O'Neill simply shrugged, and walked a short ways in the other direction. Sam wasn't sure whether she should burst out into laughter or scowl at him.

Alahn was leaning towards laughter, forcing a tiny smile to play on her lips.

Daniel saw and threw his hands up in defeat. "You, too, Sam?"

"It's not my fault!" Sam exclaimed, turning to Teal'c. "Help me out here."

"I believe you require no further assistance, Major Carter." And damn it all if Teal'c wasn't smiling at her. Not a nice smile, but more of a I-know-you-didn't-mean-it-but-I-want-to-see-you-sweat-a-little smile.

//How's this our fault? That meanie started it.// Alahn wondered, mentally growling at Jack. Sam had to agree, they couldn't help it if they found the comment fairly amusing, even if a bit overboard.

"Thanks a lot, Teal'c." Sam replied with a sarcastic smile of her own.

"I endeavor to be helpful."

Ok, who taught Teal'c to be so damn annoying? Sam was blaming the Colonel on this one. Sure, she wanted Teal'c to learn more about the Tau'ri ways, but did he have to play smug so well?

Alahn took control, and Sam couldn't help but be amused. The girl jogged up a little bit to catch up with the others, who had started to walk off in slightly varying directions. "Stop it, you big bunch of meanies!"

*

Daniel stared across the fire as he absently fiddled with his MRE. Chicken. Surprisingly enough it tasted pretty much like it should. Which only furthered his theory that all MRE meals came from the humble beginnings of the fowl.

At the moment, though, he wasn't as focussed on the ingredients of his dinner as he was with one of the people on the other side of the fire. Staring intently, he was trying to come up with the best description of what sat before him.

Dejected was the best adjective he could come up with.

"You ok?" he asked Sam, or Alahn, whichever one was in control at the time. Truth be told, if one felt a certain way, it was almost certain that the other was having similar thoughts.

"Fine." Alahn replied quickly, shaking herself from her trance into the heart of the flames.

Jack, who was sitting on the same side as Daniel, lowered his food and stared at the girl in utter disbelief. Not that Daniel had believed her, either. Teal'c merely raised his eyebrow.

She obviously saw that they weren't going for it. Sighing, she put down her food. "We've been walking around all day, and what have we found?"

"Alahn..." Daniel started.

"I know, I know 'we've just started looking.'" Alahn responded in a mocking voice.

"That is true." Teal'c added.

Daniel was taken aback at the suddenness of this whole outburst, and was not prepared when Alahn stood up suddenly. "So? We haven't found anything here except..." Alahn began pacing quickly before stopping, "trees! There's nothing."

"We don't know that, yet." Daniel tried to reason.

And with that Alahn shot off into the woods, Daniel's mouth open wide.

"Alahn!" Jack cried out, standing up. "Carter, get your ass back here!"

Daniel recovered from his shock just enough to grab Jack's sleeve before he could take off. "Let me."

After a moment's hesitance, Jack nodded reluctantly and sat back down, a mixed look of concern and anger on his face. Teal'c stared at Daniel.

Daniel ran into the forest in the direction she had run off in. The noise of Alahn running through the woods was easy to follow. Even so, Daniel couldn't hope to outrun her, and had to wait for Alahn to come to a stop.

It was several minutes before he came to where she stopped, leaning against a tree. Stopping a few feet away from her, breathing heavily, Daniel could hear Alahn's deep sobs. Even in the darkness he could make out her shoulders bobbing furiously. He wasn't sure what to do, so for a few moments he just stood there and watched.

"Alahn?" he called softly, taking a step forward.

"Go away!" she shot back between sobs. Daniel was halted by the intensity of her voice.

"You know I can't." It was one of the reasons that Jack had been so furious with her running off in the first place. They had no clue what may be out here, any of them being on their own was simply out of the question.

"I don't care. Just go away and leave me alone."

Daniel wanted to get closer, put a comforting hand on her shoulder, hug her, SOMETHING. He knew he had to play this carefully, though. "I want to help."

Alahn didn't respond immediately, instead Daniel listened as her sobs trailed off and she quieted. When her shoulders stopped shaking she turned to face him. The starlight reflected off the tears that stained her cheeks. "You want to help?"

"Yes."

"Then put me back to normal! Put us both back!" she screamed it in his face as she pushed him back forcefully. Daniel stumbled several steps before regaining his balance.

"I wish I could." He all but whispered. They locked in a stare-down, her expression unreadable, Daniel looking hurt and lost.

"I'm tired of all this." Alahn spoke in little more than a whisper, her breath hitching from time to time.

Daniel just stood there, unable to think of anything worthwhile to say.

She continued. "I just want to be me again."

"But you are still you." Daniel tried to tell her, taking a cautious step forward.

"No, I'm not!" as Daniel opened his mouth to speak again, she cut him off. "I'm not. SHE'S there."

"That doesn't change who you are."

Her eyes mirrored her disbelief. "Everything I think, everything I want to do, she hears. Then I have no choice but to hear what she thinks about it. I can't make a decision on my own anymore. I'm second guessed before I even do anything!"

How was he supposed to respond to that? It wasn't Sam's fault. She couldn't just ignore Alahn's thoughts. And he also knew she wasn't passing any judgement. Not on purpose, she couldn't exactly help what she thought, now could she?

"It's not intentional." He said, hoping it was the right thing to say.

"So?" she snapped. Daniel could only watch as she moved around nervously, seeming unable to decide where to look or how to stand.

"Look, I know this is hard for you..."

Alahn's eyes grew wide at his words, and Daniel could see the pure anger... maybe even hatred, in her expression. She didn't look away from him, coming forward to close the distance between them that much more. Daniel had to fight the urge not to step back, the look being thrown his way nothing short of dangerous.

Despite her appearance, Alahn spoke with a calm and even tone. "You know?"

The incredulity of her words snapped at him like a whip.

"You don't know ANYTHING!" she screamed at Daniel, their faces mere inches apart. He couldn't help but flinch.

"I was just trying to say..." Daniel kept a soft tone, fighting against his own anger at her responses. He knew that it was a case of her finally blowing steam, but her rage was focussed squarely on him. It seemed highly irrational, and Daniel had no clue what he had done to become such a target. Was it simply the fact that he was the only one in front of her right now? Or was there something more to it?

"I don't care what you were trying to say! You say you know, you think you know, but you have no clue!"

"Then tell me!" he couldn't help the harshness that crept into his words, but immediately regretted it.

Alahn opened her mouth to respond, but her emotions overwhelmed her. Daniel watched as her tears returned with a vengeance. Trying to regain control of her breathing, she turned to the side and took a couple steps away.

Sensing that she needed the distance, Daniel didn't move. Taking a breath to calm himself, he spoke again. "I want to know. Help me to understand."

She wrapped her arms tightly about herself. "You had a choice."

He understood the anger now. Why he never thought of it before, the possibility that Alahn may resent him, he didn't know. They had so much in common, save that one factor. Daniel had missed that maybe Alahn didn't see him as an equal. Sure, he had also had Sam in him for a little while, but they had that one difference. He came to realize that it hinged on a theme that was no doubt touchy for both Sam and Alahn.

He had chosen it.

He had had the choice of blending with Sam or not, though to him there had only been one acceptable option. Alahn didn't have that choice. Much like Sam didn't have a choice of what happened after she touched that statue. He could also argue that Sam hadn't had a choice of whether or not to go into Alahn. She had been so mentally fragile at that point, and certainly wouldn't have done it without his urgings. He had forced her, Daniel acknowledged shamefully. Though it seemed the only option at the time, as it still did, he had made Sam do it.

"God, I'm so sorry." Daniel groaned.

"What?" Alahn asked with confusion, turning back around. She certainly hadn't expected that.

"Sam, I'm sorry I made you do it. I made the decision for both of you. The only other option he gave us was death, and I didn't want to see either of you die if there was a way around it."

It was a moment before her head drooped and Sam took control. "Don't say that, Daniel. I froze. We all probably would have died, Alahn at least. You saved us."

"I forced you." Daniel emphasized. She should be mad at him, not trying to console him.

"It was the right thing to do, we both know it. I just refused to accept it." Sam countered.

"Maybe it was the right thing to do," Daniel agreed reluctantly, "but it was the wrong way to do it."

He was tired of Sam putting everything on herself. When she said that he saved them, Daniel knew she was ashamed of herself, for what she wouldn't have been able to do on her own. Daniel had actually been relieved by her reluctance, though at the time he didn't have the opportunity to think about it. He wasn't sure how he would have felt if Sam would have been more willing to take a new host like that.

She scoffed at his reply, and her voice became harsh again. "Would you just give it up already? There was no OTHER way to do it. I froze. I could have cost us all our lives. You did what had to be done."

Daniel wasn't sure whether it would be a good idea to bring up his thoughts on her reluctance. He didn't want to get Sam caught in a catch22, thinking that whatever she would have done in that situation would have been the wrong thing. But he couldn't just let her heap that all on herself.

"If I can't blame myself, then you can't blame yourself." Daniel finally said, his tone once again calm. It didn't help anyone to yell, and he knew she would probably listen better if he wasn't screaming in her face.

At the moment, though, it was pretty hard not to.

She looked away for a moment, thinking. Finally, she answered in an equally calm tone. "Deal."

It was obvious to Daniel that she didn't truly feel it. Everything couldn't be solved all at once, he realized, so the fact that she didn't simply dismiss the possibility was enough for him. She was probably just as sick of debating the issue as he was.

Daniel decided it was a good time to move the 'discussion' in a different direction. "I've heard Alahn's thoughts about things... what about you?"

"Worn doesn't begin to cover it." Sam sighed.

"Why didn't you talk to any of us? What made you think you had to carry all of this alone?"

Sam took a deep breath. "I don't know. I guess... we've all been through so much. After everything, I thought I should be able to handle this."

"Everyone has a limit, and this is more than big enough to surpass it."

"Maybe, but sometimes it's hard to tell." She replied.

"Hey, you're no pushover. If something affects you like this so obviously has then it's not nothing." Daniel looked her straight in the eye when he talked, making sure he drove the point home.

"Being turned into a symbiote is a pretty big deal, isn't it?" Sam smiled slightly, showing some amusement at her own statement.

Daniel smiled himself, glad to see some lightheartedness from her. "Very big."

She chuckled at his words, the brightness in her eyes belying her tension.

"Just... don't try to block us out again." Daniel approached until he was a step away from Sam, leaving it up to her how to proceed. She hesitated a few moments before burying herself against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, a release was triggered and she began crying in earnest.

Daniel waited patiently, holding her tightly to him, as all of her pent up frustrations were released.

*

Jack broke another piece off of the dried twig in his hands and threw it into the fire. The little bit of wood seared for a moment before disappearing from view. Losing its appeal, he simply threw the rest of the twig into the fire and leaned back.

Carter knew better than this.

On another planet, especially one who's dangers were unknown, you did not strike it out on your own. And she was unarmed, no less! Daniel wasn't a wuss or anything, but from the alien they had seen in the pyramid it was clear these guys were huge. A pistol wasn't going to stop one if it decided it didn't like them being here. At the moment, though, that was all the archaeologist had on him.

He was pissed. Because it was so much easier to get angry than to acknowledge that Carter, or Alahn, or whichever, had just broken down in front of them. Clutching his gun, he stood up with every intention of going out there and dragging them both back by their hair if he had to. And if he was lucky, he'd get the excuse to shoot something.

"O'Neill." Teal'c's deep voice stopped him in his tracks... again. It hadn't been the first time since Carter and Daniel took off that he'd contemplated going after them.

"Dammit, Teal'c, I'm not going to wait any longer. Who knows what's out there?" Jack snapped.

Teal'c didn't reply, and while Jack was waiting for him to, he heard a faint rustling in the underbrush. Bringing up his gun in case it wasn't who they expected, Jack watched as Daniel escorted Alahn through the woods, his hand on her shoulder.

His relief only fueled his anger. "Alright class, can anyone point out what our players did wrong?"

"Jack." Daniel warned, eyeing the other man.

"No, Daniel." Jack cut him off. "God, Carter, did you forget EVERYTHING they taught you in basic?"

The redness in her eyes, clearly visible as they approached the fire, made it obvious that she had been crying only moments ago. Carter stiffened noticeably at his remark. "I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."

He knew he should be easy on her, but her little stunt had worried him to no end. Jack still hadn't quite recovered from it. "You are absolutely right, it won't happen again."

"Jack, there's no need for that." Daniel replied to his sharp tone.

"I'm responsible for this team, Daniel. Do you know what dangers might be waiting out there? I sure as hell don't. Excuse me if I find the thought of half of my team being in a less-than-positive position where I can't help them just a little bit unsettling." Jack justified himself, letting them know it was fear talking, and not anger. He could live with the phrasing, actually saying 'you scared me shitless' would be a bit much for him. Not to mention it would be a big blow to his ego.

"Oh." Daniel responded in understanding.

He could see that Carter understood, too. It couldn't hurt to reinforce the idea, though. "That was all just a vent, kay?"

"Yes, sir." Carter smiled at his stuttered tone.

"Ok, let's call it a night. I'll take first watch. T, you get middle. And Daniel goes last."

He was glad that she was unarmed, otherwise Jack was sure Carter would protest her lack of involvement.

*

A soft rumble broke Teal'c from his meditation. Looking into the surrounding woods, he was unable to find the source of the noise. Sitting still a while longer, he continued to watch and listen, but there was nothing. As the sun was making its appearance, he decided to make his way over to the fire.

Daniel Jackson was sitting beside the small flames with a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c greeted as he took a seat.

"'Morning, Teal'c." The man was staring absently at the ground.

"How are Major Carter and Alahn?"

"Better. They were finally able to get a lot of this out of their system."

Teal'c nodded at the statement. He had seen the looks on both of their faces when they had finally returned to camp. The tearstains were evident on the girl's face, and Daniel himself had had a decidedly uneasy appearance. It was obvious that the night had been hard on them all. Teal'c seriously doubted whether Daniel had gotten any sleep.

"They appear to have exceeded their tolerance for this situation." Teal'c stated.

"Yeah. But we're so close, Teal'c, and they know it." Daniel rebutted.

"That is uncertain, as they very well know. It is no doubt this potentially false hope that has broken them."

"We can't think like that."

"How would you have them think, Daniel Jackson? If we do not find what we seek here, then our chances of finding it at all are greatly reduced. If Alahn and Major Carter were to have high hopes for this planet, and we indeed do encounter nothing... it is easier for them to be certain we will not find what we look for, then there is nothing to lose."

Daniel reluctantly agreed. Teal'c wanted to find an answer just as badly as any of the others, but he also tried to be realistic. They had hardly begun to search the planet, and couldn't draw any conclusions from what they had seen so far. What they were looking for could be there, or it might not be.

O'Neill then made his appearance from his tent, MP-5 at his side. "'Morning, campers."

"Jack."

"O'Neill."

The Colonel suddenly froze where he stood, his eyes focussed on something behind Teal'c.

"Jack?" Daniel Jackson asked.

"Daniel." O'Neill cocked his head, and both Daniel and Teal'c followed his gaze.

The red shape in the trees was clearly visible.

Apparently realizing that it had been seen, the alien slowly trundled its way out of the woods. Teal'c listened to it's breathing, recognizing the faint rumble he had heard earlier. Both Teal'c and Daniel had stood up by then, their weapons at hand.

The alien stopped a few steps from them. It was completely naked, male if anything was similar between their species. It dragged a metal object in his lower left hand, grasping it near the end. It resembled a staff weapon, with a very heavy shaft, the most noticeable difference being that the butt of the weapon was a crescent-shaped blade. Teal'c noticed the alien looked at them almost dismissively, despite their armament.

"Daniel, would you mind?" O'Neill motioned for the archaeologist to do his thing.

Daniel Jackson fumbled a little bit, clearing his throat. "Um, (We are peaceful travelers that wish to meet your people.)" He spoke in Goa'uld.

The alien didn't react, not even turning its gaze to Daniel.

"It does not appear to understand Goa'uld, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c stated. The Xel'nagan was studying Teal'c at the time. He watched the alien's eyes slowly sweep over his form. Keeping his chin up, he stared back at the alien.

"Maybe not. The stones did say it was reserved for the Council."

Teal'c just noticed something glisten in the alien's eye as its gaze caught his staff weapon. He didn't have enough time to decipher the look as the Xel'nagan suddenly let forth a deep animalistic howl and charged forward. Grasping the weapon with all of its hands, the alien swung the blade at Teal'c, who had just enough time to bring his staff into a block. The force of the blow sent him flying several feet into the empty tent.

The report of an MP-5 firing was immediately heard, along with a high-pitched gasp of pain from the alien. Teal'c extricated himself from the now-collapsed tent to see the alien fall to the ground. It was still alive, its breathing taking on a sickly bubbling sound.

He also noticed that Alahn and Major Carter were out of their tent, staring at the alien in complete shock. Black blood from its wounds was already oozing all over the ground below it.

"T, you ok?" O'Neill asked.

Standing up, Teal'c collected his weapon from nearby. "I am unhurt."

"Jack, we may have a problem here."

Aliens were walking out of the woods in all directions. All were equally as naked as the first, apparently all the same gender... if they did have genders. Some held similar weapons, while others had branches or nothing at all. Teal'c noted that most had clearly visible scars along their bodies, some missing various limbs. Many also had skin that had ugly patches of orange and yellow. No words were spoken by the aliens, only heavy breathing and occasional grunts and growls. They slowly approached the group.

"Daniel, would you tell these good people this was all a big mistake?" Colonel O'Neill stated. The four of them were now standing back to back, not that they could hope to defend themselves against the multitudes of Xel'nagans before them.

"(We're sorry, but he left us no choice.)" These aliens were just as impassive as the first had been to their words.

"Sir, I think we have a problem." Major Carter declared, taking a step back in response to the approaching hoard.

Amazingly enough, the aliens stopped.

They didn't know what to make of her, staring at Major Carter curiously. They looked between themselves and her, apparently searching for some sort of answer.

One from the front line squinted at her, then his face took on a hard appearance. "Bakku!"

Shrieking and growling, the aliens started waving their various weapons around and resumed their approach. Teal'c was about to open fire on an alien in front of him when a loud voice issued from the forest.

"Kal sali! Tanarada!" the deep voice held the distinctive distortion of a Goa'uld. Immediately, the aliens stopped their approach once again. Some of them sat down where they were, others remained standing, and still others simply walked away.

Completely taken aback, all SG-1 could do was stand there as the mystery speaker approached.

It was another Xel'nagan. This one was wearing a single strap kilt made from some sort of animal hide. A deep scar ran across its chest, continuing down the lower left arm. Walking tall, with obvious authority, the alien made its way towards SG-1.

O'Neill once again motioned for Daniel Jackson to try and communicate. This one at least appeared to be able to speak some language, though Teal'c knew that the words had not been Goa'uld.

"(We're very sorry for wounding the other, we had no choice.)"

The Xel'nagans eyes flashed brilliantly, a snarl appearing on its face. "(You have killed Telilka! Was not the shame you brought to him enough?)"

"(I don't understand.)" Daniel stammered in reply. Colonel O'Neill looked on, he and Major Carter unable to follow the words.

"(Do not play me for a fool. Why do you come now? There is nothing you could do to punish us further.)"

"(I don't know what you're talking about. We're peaceful explorers from a planet called Earth.)"

"(Peaceful.)" The alien spat out the word, looking at the guns trained on it.

"(We only use these weapons to defend ourselves.)"

"(The Goa'uld attack, not defend.)"

Daniel opened his mouth, but Teal'c interrupted, aware of his intentions. "Is it wise to tell them that we are not Goa'uld?"

"What?" O'Neill asked.

"Even if they think the Gould are gods, it's obvious they're not friendly with them." Daniel Jackson responded.

So it would seem. Eventually they all nodded their assent. There wasn't much to lose, anyway.

"(We are not Goa'uld.)"

"(If so, then why do you travel with a warrior of the gods? And why do you travel with a god?)" The alien challenged.

Teal'c took a step forward. "(I no longer serve any Goa'uld. I now fight against them.)"

The Xel'nagan sniffed, looking wholly unimpressed.

"(She is not Goa'uld, she's Tok'ra.)" Daniel Jackson tried to explain Sam, not sure whether it knew of the rebel faction, or cared about such distinctions.

"(You have doomed us all. I won't allow you to harm my people any further.)" the alien turned to those that had not left the clearing. "Shara devi."

The ring of Xel'nagans began to creep forward again, but at a more sedate pace.

"Daniel?" O'Neill asked.

"It doesn't believe that we're not Gould."

Teal'c instinctively pointed his staff weapon at the encroaching crowd. He knew that it would do them no good to fight, though. Eventually they would be overrun.

"(Do not struggle, and you shall survive.)" the alien spoke.

"O'Neill, drop your weapon."

"What?"

"Jack, it says if we don't put up a struggle, they won't kill us." Daniel Jackson clarified.

O'Neill hesitated, weighing his options. It didn't take him long to see the futility in their position. Slowly, he took the gun strap off of his shoulder and placed the weapon on the ground. The others took his lead, and the aliens took them away.

*

Great. Just great. Boy, did this ever take the cake.

They came here to get help and weren't really getting what they had hoped for.

The aliens had taken them on a nice hike to the ruins of a city several hours from where they had been. Jack could tell by the lay of the debris that the buildings used to be massive, but little more than their foundations remained intact. Scorch marks were visible in multiple places, revealing that it wasn't time that had destroyed the edifices.

In fact, they were tucked away into one of the rooms on one of the more kept together buildings. A large sheet of metal, or whatever these things were made of, had been hefted in front of the doorway. The three aliens that had worked it into position had expended a lot of effort. When all four of them had tried to move the barrier they couldn't even budge it.

Aside from the shafts of light that came through where the sheet didn't quite cover, the room was dark.

"Something doesn't quite add up here." Daniel suddenly began. His voice seemed to echo unnaturally in their prison.

Sheesh, Jack coulda told them that.

"These aliens do appear to be most... primitive." Teal'c commented.

"Was I the only one who noticed those rather impressive looking weapons they had, or even these buildings here?"

"The first one that attacked us... it didn't even seem to know how to use the weapon it held. It used it as little more than a club." Daniel pointed out.

"Not to mention they apparently can't talk, except for a word or two." Carter stated.

"Not to mention our Gouldy little friend." Jack mimicked.

"Jack." Daniel sighed. "Our 'Gouldy little friend' seems to be the only one that knows anything. The rest act with about as much intelligence as animals. But these guys built the machine that turned some of them into symbiotes. We're missing something."

"Could not the information on the stones have been falsified? Perhaps an elaborate ruse by a Goa'uld that claimed these people?" Teal'c proposed.

"I don't think so. It still doesn't explain the machine. Why would a Gould make more Gould out of 'inferior' species?"

"Equal opportunity employer?" Jack mused.

Though he couldn't see it, he was sure Daniel fixed him with a dangerous glare.

Sounds of grunting suddenly issued from outside, stopping their discussion. They watched as their makeshift prison was reopened. The Goulded Xel'nagan stood in the doorway. Light poured in, brightening the room around the alien's large frame.

It said something.

"Daniel?" Jack prompted.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, the archaeologist replied. "It wants to know our purpose here, no more lies."

Deja Vu? Sighing heavily, Jack responded. "Try again."

Daniel spoke to the alien at length. It looked at him with interest, eyes widening at points in his dialogue.

"What did you tell him?" Carter asked first.

"I told it what happened in the pyramid."

Jack distinctly remembered them blowing the brains out of yet another of these red guys there. Considering how the big dude before them had reacted previously, he didn't think that it was such a good idea to bring it up. "Everything?"

"I, uh, skipped over a few minor details." Daniel assured. "And I told it that we came here looking for help for Sam."

After a few moments, the alien spoke again.

"Now what did it say."

Teal'c was the one to respond. "The help we seek cannot be found here."

*

Daniel did a remarkable impression of a fish. "(W... why?)"

The alien actually sighed, though the sound came out more like a growl. "(Do you truly not notice the state my people are in?)"

"(But... you. What about you?)"

"(I know nothing about what you ask. I am not a scientist.)"

They were close. So close. Daniel wanted to scream. "(Why are you different? What happened to your people?)"

"(As I have told you before, we have been punished.)"

"(By whom?)" Daniel hoped he could find an answer to their problem by what this creature told them.

"(Terak.)"

That didn't make sense. Terak had been looking for survivors on the other planet. Did they somehow escape through the 'gate? "(How?)"

It just stood there. Daniel was afraid that it wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know. He was afraid that Sam and Alahn had been right, there was nothing here that could help them. They would never find anything.

Finally, the alien took a step forward, turning its head to the side. Lifting the tentacles that fell from its scalp, it revealed a bright scar that ran along the base of its skull for a few inches, until stopped by the jawbone.

"Oh my god." Daniel whispered.

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.

Jack and Sam looked at the line with awe, but had no idea what it meant. Jack was the one to ask. "What's going on?"

"They were punished, by Terak." Daniel stammered.

"Terak?" Sam began in surprise, causing the alien to focus on her. It was obvious she put the implications that Daniel had already realized together. "Holy Hannah."

"Somebody throw me a freakin' bone here." Jack demanded.

"The other Xel'nagans here weren't born this primitive. They've all been mutilated."

Jack looked from the alien to the various members of his team. "You mean he chopped their brains out?"

"Pretty much, it would seem." Daniel replied.

"But, this one's been talking to us and stuff." Jack pointed out.

"No, sir, it hasn't. The symbiote has." Carter responded.

Which left another question for Daniel: how did the symbiote get here? Terak would surely have noticed its presence. "(Did Terak do anything to you, the symbiote.)"

"(I was not here for the punishment.)"

"(Then... how did you get 'here?')" Daniel wasn't sure whether 'here' was referring to the host, or the place.

"(Terak attacked both Xel'naga and Ascorza. I was among the warriors on Ascorza that fought his jaffa. Those that had not been killed were captured.)" the last bit the alien spoke with great disdain. "(Frelak, my prior companion, was mortally wounded in the woods. We were overlooked. After several days, dying, Coumat found us. He acted strangely, and at the time I was unaware of the reason. To figure out the problem, and the fate of my people, I merged with him.)"

"(I thought you were a leader?)" Daniel questioned, wondering why he'd be in battle.

The Xel'nagan looked at him with shock. "(Our people were in danger. How could I not fight?)

Jack tapped his foot impatiently. "Care to share with the rest of the class, Daniel?"

"He was a warrior, Jack. When his people were captured, his former host was left for dead in the woods. His people came back as they are now and he jumped into one." Daniel tried to sum it up, knowing his friend's lack of patience.

"And he can't help us?" Sam asked nervously.

"No. He says he's not a scientist." It hurt him to say that to her.

For Sam's part, aside from her shoulders slumping, she gave no physical clues how the news must have hurt her.

Jack sighed. "I guess it's time for us to pack up and go."

Daniel could see Jack's surprise when he didn't argue against it. At the moment he didn't care whether they learned about the Xel'nagan's culture. Turning, Daniel began talking to Coumat. "(Coumat, we...)"

"(Coumat-Shesh.)" he corrected.

Noting idly that Shesh must be the symbiote's name, he continued. "(Coumat-Shesh, we must leave now.)"

"(You cannot.)" he replied quickly. "(It is impossible.)"

"(Why is this?)" Teal'c immediately asked.

"(I have sabotaged the input device to the Transportation Circle.)"

"What?" Sam was the one to ask, noticing the panic Daniel displayed.

"The DHD has been sabotaged." Teal'c explained.

"You can't be serious!" Jack immediately replied. Sighing, he turned to Sam. "Carter, do you think you can fix it?"

"I won't know until I see it. Worst case scenario is we wait for the General to contact us. We have him send a naquadah reactor through and dial out manually." Daniel could tell by the neutrality in her tone that she really didn't care. At that point he couldn't blame her.

*

He had had nearly enough of this. "Ok, then. Let's go back to the 'gate and see what we're up against."

Jack motioned for his people to get on their way.

Stepping out of the building, after Coomy moved enough to accomodate them, Jack could see the various aliens around the ruins. He simply looked for a few moments, watching as some walked about idly, while others appeared to be eating some sort of small animal. Raw... he cringed.

His attention was brought back to them as one of the Xel'nagans approached them. This one had only three arms, and walked with a noticeable limp. As the alien completely ignored their presence, he realized it wasn't them it was interested in. Walking up to the Goulded one, it held out it's hands, displaying one of the small animals, obviously dead.

Taking the gift, Coumat pressed his forehead against the other's, muttering some words in the alien tongue.

Jack was surprised at the extreme pleasure the alien took from the words. It smiled, a frightening sight as the creature's rather dangerous looking teeth became visible. Howling excitedly, it hobbled its way to a large group of Xel'nagans, apparently trying to relay his achievement with pointing and some grunts.

"That was... interesting." Daniel exclaimed.

"Fascinating, really." Jack agreed with his usual sarcasm, laced with awkwardness. "Can we go now?"

Considering these guys were copying the snakeheads, he really hadn't expected to see such an obvious show of compassion. The way Coomy had interacted with the other alien reminded him of how a father would act towards his child, and that comparison disturbed him. It didn't seem right for these guys to take after something evil... and not be so themselves.

They walked away from the camp unhindered, though Jack had expected more protest, if not some physical determent.

Jack had to wonder what they were supposed to do now. This was the last lead they currently had to go on. The trail had run dry. They had been lucky to stumble upon Terak's planet, well, lucky wasn't the first word that came to his mind. Chances of them finding anything else on their own virtually didn't exist.

There had been writing at the pyramid, if he remembered right. Maybe Daniel could translate that... with how much was there it should only take him a few months.

"Something doesn't quite track about all this." Daniel suddenly mentioned.

"Do enlighten us." Jack implored sarcastically, not stopping or turning to face Daniel.

"Well, we know that Terak was looking for his brother."

"That is correct." Teal'c agreed.

"Right. So why would he damage the minds of those who could tell him?" Daniel questioned.

"That guy was off his ringer. Wacko. The snakehead changed his mind more times than I change clothes. He didn't have the patience for torture, probably got sick of them not telling him anything." Jack supplied.

"There's also the language barrier to consider. If Terak didn't capture one of the council members, they wouldn't have been able to communicate." Carter added. Jack was surprised to hear her say anything at all on the subject, assuming she was still dealing with the failure of this mission. It was one of the things he liked about her, the ability to contribute even when she had no interest in the topic, which Jack was sure she hadn't.

"Look, Daniel, I'm sure that the General will approve coming back here in the future. You can gleefully ask all the questions you want then." Jack stated, in the hopes of shutting him up about the subject.

"I get the feeling that we've missed something important."

"I also sense that there is vital information we have overlooked." Teal'c responded to Daniel's statement.

"Such as?" Jack wondered. The Xel'nagans' brains had been sliced out, what more was there to know?

"I am uncertain."

"That doesn't help me, you know? We'll report back to Hammond if we can, and figure it out there."

*

For once, Sam would have liked her assumptions to have been wrong. Well, that wasn't entirely true, she had been wrong before. But it didn't happen that often, and it definitely didn't happen now.

Daniel's hope had been infectious, and even through the time that Alahn had told them they wouldn't find anything, part of both of them had wondered if, maybe, they would.

All they did find was a bunch of mutilated survivors. Living only because Terak wanted them to suffer. She did feel a little pang of sympathy for them, robbed of their wits. Exactly how long they had been living like that was impossible to know. Sadly, she felt herself not really caring. Her mind wanted to blame them, she quickly came to realize. It was easy to say it was their fault that they couldn't help her or Alahn.

Her empathy for their plight only grew at that thought. They didn't deserve her hate, not after everything they had lost.

//No, they don't.// Alahn reluctantly agreed.

Before their talk with Daniel the night before, Sam doubted whether it would have been so easy for them to not hold the aliens accountable. It had been nice to get all of that off their collective chests. And thankfully, Daniel understood that none of it had really been personal.

Now, they were both pretty upset, so the relief they had gained from the talk was shadowed.

"You ok?" she heard Daniel ask as he paced himself to walk by her side.

Sam's first instinct was to say she was fine, but she remembered his plea before she had completely come apart. "This whole mission could have gone better."

She hoped desperately that she could fix the DHD. The prospect of staying here until the General finally got worried wasn't very pleasant. It was early evening on the planet, so they'd have at least 24 hours before they were overdue.

"I'm sorry." Daniel replied softly.

"None of this is your fault, so would you quit apologizing?" if he didn't stop with it soon, she might be forced to hurt him.

"Ok," he relented, "but we do still have one more chance."

"What's that?" Sam asked. Alahn's curiosity caused her to turn her head towards Daniel sharply.

"Well, there's the writing in the pyramid. With the translations of the alien text I got from the stones I should be able to figure it out."

"Yeah." She agreed reluctantly. The words 'should be able to' didn't instill much confidence in her. And 'should' he be able to, who knew how long it would take. From what she had learned from Daniel about the room, because she certainly hadn't been in the frame of mind to take in details at that point, there had been a lot of writing on the walls.

Realizing her tone was rather abject, she gave Daniel a small smile to tell him that she'd be ok and hadn't given it all up, yet. There was still that tiny chance.

"We're here." The Colonel suddenly announced. Looking forward, Sam could see the Stargate through what vegetation remained in their way.

//Please be able to fix it.// Alahn wished, directing her thought more towards higher powers than Sam herself.

Sam couldn't help but echo the sentiment under her breath.

They entered the small clearing, Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c quickly scanning it for any surprises that might have crept up since they left. The MALP that had preceded them remained beside the DHD. O'Neill turned to Sam. "Ok, Carter, do your thing."

She made her way to the DHD. There were no outward signs of damage. Just in case the sabotage had been some sort of hoax, she began dialing Earth. Pressing the first glyph... nothing happened. The button didn't light up and the 'gate didn't spin. Making sure it wasn't a problem with the glyph, Sam tried several more buttons, all with the same result.

"Well, he wasn't lying about it being broken." Sam warned.

"Sweet." Came the Colonel's caustic retort.

She chuckled as she kneeled before the device, losing herself in the moment. This was Sam's element, fixing things. Pulling apart machines and putting them back together was a mainstay of her life, and the prospect of getting her hands dirty made it easy to forget her troubles.

Pulling the paneling off the front of the device, she accepted Teal'c's flashlight and shone it into the bowels of the DHD. Dusk was changing light into dark, so Sam had to rely solely on the light in her hand. Several crystals were clearly missing. Just as she was about to extricate herself, the flashlight beam reflected off of something that was the wrong texture and color to be a part of the DHD. It was certainly nothing she'd ever seen in any of the devices she'd studied. But it didn't look entirely unfamiliar, either.

"Daniel, I need you to look at something for me." Sam announced, her unnatural voice echoing strangely in the DHD.

He took the few steps necessary to close the distance. "What is it, Sam?"

"I'm not sure. On the upper casing here is some sort of device, looks Goa'uld. Can you translate the inscription?" moving aside, she handed him the flashlight.

Daniel took the proffered item and put his head inside, looking for the foreign piece. It was several moments before his voice issued from within. "It says 'remove this and your life is forfeit.'"

"A bomb?" Colonel O'Neill ventured.

"It is likely." Teal'c agreed.

"It must do something else, too, but I can't find any other writing." Daniel stated as he stood up.

"From what I saw, it's tied into all of the input keys. Maybe it's set to detonate if certain addresses are used." Sam guessed. So, they could have blown themselves up by dialing Earth. If that was how the Xel'nagan had sabotaged the device, why remove vital components, too?

"But when you tried to dial Earth, nothing happened. Did the device do that?" Daniel asked.

"No, some key crystals have been removed. Simply put, power isn't getting to the 'gate."

"Kind of a stupid way to sabotage a DHD, wouldn't you say? Can't dial out, but if you do, you blow up." The Colonel rolled his eyes as he spoke.

It didn't make sense no matter how hard she thought about it. It was a very convoluted and roundabout way to sabotage a DHD. Like Daniel had pointed out earlier, they were missing something.

"Sir, I may be able to reroute some of the systems to bypass the missing crystals, but I'm reluctant to do anything until we know more about this device." Sam supplied. She might be able to find a way to supply power to the 'gate, but she wasn't positive at the moment what systems might need to be bypassed to do so. Which meant that there was a possibility the DHD could explode on its own if they tried. And then there was the device to worry about. She didn't really like to think about it.

"So," O'Neill began, "we wait for the General to phone in, then."

They really didn't have any other choice at that point.

*

Teal'c sat by the fire, taking middle watch. On the way back to the Stargate they had retrieved their camping supplies from where they were forced to leave them, so two tents were pitched close by. Daniel Jackson and Major Carter were sharing one, while he and O'Neill had the other.

Making sure not to stare at the fire directly, so that the flames didn't temporarily blind him to the dark scenery about him, Teal'c kept a keen eye on his surroundings. While the aliens didn't appear to be a threat anymore, he couldn't be certain that they, or some other unnamed danger, didn't fall upon them. Considering their minds had been damaged, it did not seem unreasonable that one of the Xel'nagans may attack them out of some instinct, as the first one had attacked him.

There had been recognition in that alien's eyes. It had looked at Teal'c's weapon, identifying him as an enemy. Apparently some, if not all, retained enough of themselves to know that the Goa'uld were not to be trusted. Without the intervention of Coumat-Shesh, they would not have survived this long. And if a few strays came across them while they waited to return home, similar dangers could be faced.

Getting up, Teal'c held his staff weapon at ready as he made his way to scout the immediate area. As soon as he turned around, Teal'c saw Coumat-Shesh standing but a few meters away, recognizable by the clothes he wore. He instantly primed his weapon, astonished that the large alien could have approached without his knowing.

What he realized then was that he could not sense the symbiote. Teal'c had never been quite this close to the alien, and the other times Major Carter had been nearby, covering up the lack of sensation. But, the point was unimportant at the moment.

"O'Neill!" Teal'c called out, keeping his weapon trained on the Xel'nagan.

"(I told you that you could not leave.)" Coumat-Shesh stated.

His call had woken everyone up, and soon the rest of his teammates were out of their respective tents.

"What's going on here?" O'Neill immediately asked.

"I did not hear or sense its approach." Teal'c explained.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alahn squint her eyes in concentration. "Sam didn't notice it before, but she can't feel it, either."

"How does that help us?" Colonel O'Neill wondered.

"It would seem to indicate the machine doesn't add naquadah to the symbiote it creates. The only reason I have it is because of Jolinar." Major Carter began, taking control.

"Carter." He warned.

"Sorry, sir. Aside from that, it doesn't mean anything."

"Major Carter, you previously stated that we could do nothing to the DHD until the purpose of the device was known." Teal'c stated.

"Yeah." She confirmed.

"Could we not get this information from Coumat-Shesh?"

"It's worth a shot. Daniel?" O'Neill motioned for the archaeologist to put his skills to use.

Daniel stepped forward. "(What exactly did you do to the input device?)"

"(You claim to not be Goa'uld. If this is so, how did you learn of this planet? There are no scripts in the Temple of Transformation that mention Ascorza.)" Coumat-Shesh posed in response.

"(We went to Xel'naga by accident. In a cave we found several spheres with Stargate coordinates on them. After escaping Terak, we came here.)"

Teal'c watched shock enter the aliens features. It finally spoke. "(If you saw the Scripts of Tolai, you must have encountered those left behind. Do they still lie in wait for rescue? Has Terak found them?)"

There were many questions Teal'c had from Coumat-Shesh's inquiries. "(You claimed to have been on this planet. How then do you know of the condition of your people attacked on the other?)"

"(Coumat was there. Some of his memories are intact. He and the other warriors buried those that could not be taken to the Circle in time. It was their last hope, with limited food they would hide until our warriors could retake the planet. Tell me of their fate.)"

"(Terak did not find them, nor were they rescued.)" Teal'c replied. He saw that the alien quickly realized what that meant. They had undoubtedly starved in the cave, waiting for salvation that did not come.

"Guys?" O'Neill queried, not liking to be left out of the conversation.

Daniel Jackson was the next to speak, ignoring the Colonel. "(You said 'those that could not be taken to the Circle in time.' Others of your people escaped the attacks?)"

It had been another of the questions Teal'c had had.

"Hello?" Colonel O'Neill all but shouted, getting their attention.

"One second, Jack. This could be important." The archaeologist held up his hand to silence the other man.

O'Neill was about to protest when he noticed the stare Teal'c fixed him with. Teal'c was pleased when the Colonel remained silent.

"(Those that do not fight fled to our final colony.)"

"Now?" O'Neill asked.

"There's more of them out there, Jack. He says that some were able to flee to another world. The dead ones we saw in the cave couldn't get out in time, the warriors tried to hide them." Daniel Jackson got more excited as he continued to speak. Teal'c also realized the implications of this, they once again had hope.

"Wait. If his people are safe on another world, why did he sabotage the DHD? Why not go there?" Major Carter asked.

It did not make sense. "(Why did you not go to this world yourself?)"

The alien looked at Teal'c as though he suggested the most preposterous idea in history. "(These warriors have suffered enough.)"

"Suffered?" Daniel wondered.

"(How would returning to your people cause more suffering?)" Teal'c asked.

"(They have lost their lives. I will not see them shamed as well. Xel'nagans do not allow themselves to be captured in battle.)"

"They do not return because it would bring them shame." Teal'c relayed for the other's benefit.

"Shame for fighting an invader?" Major Carter wondered.

"Shame for not dying in the attempt." He clarified.

O'Neill was fidgeting with his gun strap. "Anyone think that maybe this guy could give us the coordinates to this other planet?"

They all turned to the Xel'nagan as Daniel Jackson prepared to speak again. "(Can you tell us how to reach this other world?)"

"(Absolutely not!)" Coumat-Shesh replied immediately.

Major Carter could tell it was not the desired answer by the tone. "What's wrong?"

"(We only want to help our friend return to normal.)" Daniel rationalized.

"(I will not risk my people on a futile effort such as yours.)"

*

"(Futile?)" Daniel asked. Was he trying to say that his people couldn't help? "(We would never reveal your location to the Goa'uld. They are our enemy.)"

Daniel was acutely aware of how the others' eyes were focussed on him so intently.

"(My people would never help you.)" the Xel'nagan's words were spoken as fact, without malice.

They needed answers, and the best way to do that was to keep asking questions. "(Why not?)"

"(It is of the highest law that Kantari-Tralik left us. Once merged, the two minds may never break their bond.)"

"So, Daniel, what's the man say?" Jack finally broke in, his patience long lost.

"Right now he won't tell us. I'm trying to get all the information I can on his people, maybe change his mind along the way. The more we know about them, the easier it will be when we make contact." Daniel explained.

"Fine. Carter, you think you can poke around the DHD a little without blowing us to pieces? That is unless Daniel has already figured out what exactly our friend here did to it."

"I don't know, he dodged the question the first time I asked."

"Shouldn't be a problem, though I doubt I'll learn anything new, sir." Sam replied, motioning for Teal'c to help her. She needed him to hold both flashlights, with natural light long gone, to be able to see anything in the device.

The moment she poked her head inside, Coumat-Shesh looked at them questioningly. "(What are you doing?)"

"(We are trying to fix the device so we can leave.)" Daniel told him.

"(You must not!)" the alien made to start forward, stopping when Jack and Teal'c pointed their weapons in its direction. Sam looked out, startled by the alien's harsh tone. "(Stop at once!)"

"Wait, don't shoot!" Daniel cried out, just in case. "(Why don't you want us to fix it?)"

"(I sabotaged the device so that my people would not return here.)"

Ok... "(Even if the input device isn't working they can still come here like we did.)"

"(I am not a fool. They would only send a couple scouts, warriors that have no knowledge of how to repair the device. They would be unable to go back.)"

"(Why would you want to strand your own people here?)" he certainly didn't understand the logic in that.

"(Were they to return, Terak would learn the location of our home.)"

How would Terak know, especially since he wasn't here? Superstition?

Realization dawned on Daniel. "(You didn't put that thing in the input device, did you?)"

"(I did not. I merely removed components that appeared important to its function.)"

"That device in the DHD isn't a bomb... well, not unless you try to remove it, I guess. He didn't put it there, Terak left it behind. It must record the coordinates input and transmit them. Coumat-Shesh sabotaged the device so if his people ever tried to come here, they couldn't go back and give away the location of their other world." Daniel explained to the others.

"Well, that's not good." Sam replied.

"Really?" Jack feigned surprise. "Would never have figured that."

"Sir, assuming we can fix the DHD, if we go back to Earth Terak will learn the coordinates." She warned.

"That's what the iris is for."

"Terak has Death Gliders, it would be unreasonable to assume he does not possess other ships." Teal'c added.

"Easy, we go to another world and 'gate home from there." Jack stated with finality. It made sense, and they all nodded. "Ok, Teal'c's watch is basically done. I'll take over 'til morning."

Daniel responded immediately. "I want to keep talking with Coumat-Shesh, see what I can learn about his people. Maybe he can tell me how the blending works for them."

"Fine, Daniel, you do... what you do. Everyone else, see if you can't get some sleep, or kel'no'reem, or something."

Teal'c and Sam went to their respective tents, while Daniel motioned for the alien to take a seat by the fire as they continued to talk.

*

Sleep wasn't something that Sam or Alahn were going to get anytime soon. Though they lay in their sleeping bag, neither held any illusions. Sam wasn't anything near tired, yet, and Alahn was far too preoccupied to rest.

Daniel and the alien could easily be heard outside. If only she could purposely access Jolinar's memories, Sam would be able to understand Goa'uld and know exactly what they were talking about. Far more frustrating than not knowing the language was knowing that, somewhere in there, she understood it, but couldn't access what she needed.

//So, assuming we do get to this other world, will that one be destroyed, too?// Alahn wondered.

It did seem that something was trying to stonewall them. Just when they thought they'd gotten a break, some weird circumstance would present itself. Both had thought the cosmic joke had become extremely stale.

**I sure hope not.** But that left so many other possibilities to stop them in their tracks. When whatever higher power there was was done throwing them for loops, would they actually find what they were looking for, or find out this was one giant wild goose chase?

If this really was a cosmic joke, Sam wanted to know exactly who was laughing.

//I can't just lay here the rest of the night.// Alahn took control and rolled over restlessly.

**It's either stay in here, or go out there and listen to them. Either way we probably won't learn much until morning.**

Alahn sighed and rolled over the other way. She had to agree with Sam's assessment. It would just be worse to sit beside Daniel all night, trying to get him to explain what was going on every few minutes, and having to listen to meaningless babble in between. Of course, the tent material did nothing to block out noise, but at least there they could pretend they weren't hearing anything. Or, if nothing else, spare themselves the frustration of having to fight for Daniel's attention, which would undoubtedly be riveted on the Xel'nagan.

No, it was easier just to stay where they were. Only a little easier, though. Because, no matter where they were, they'd wonder exactly what was being said, running through possible scenarios in their head. Scenarios that mostly ended in crueler and crueler ways for the alien to reject them.

The sound of someone getting up outside caught their attention. A whispered 'for cryin' out loud' warned them that it was the Colonel. He walked by the tent, stopping slightly behind it. After a moment they heard him sigh.

"If I have to listen to another second of meaningless mumbo jumbo... I'm gonna have to hurt him."

As Alahn listened, neither were sure whether he was talking to himself, or perhaps to them.

"Knowing Daniel, he'll be at it all night." Just who was he talking to? After a brief pause, he continued. "I know you're both awake in there, heard you tossing around earlier."

Well, that answered that. Alahn was still confused, though, as was Sam. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to preserve my sanity." He quipped.

**And test ours.** Sam joked, causing Alahn to snicker.

"What's so funny?" Colonel O'Neill wondered.

"Nothing." Alahn assured.

"Right." He drew out the word, his shadow swayed outside the tent, showing he didn't buy it in the least.

"Anyway," she began, changing the subject, "you just going to stand back there?"

"Why not?"

Well, there were still a few hours until daylight. Surely he'd get tired before then.

"Might get kind of boring." Alahn stated.

"Can't be as bad as what I'd have to face up there. 'Blah blah blah, kree.' 'I'm-pretending-to-speak-a-language, Al'kesh.'" The Colonel did obvious impressions of both Daniel and the alien.

She laughed openly at his antics. "Daniel would have a fit if he heard you."

"Dead to the world, Alahn. Teal'c could shoot his staff in front of his nose and Daniel wouldn't notice." He replied without missing a beat.

Sam took control to respond. "I don't know, sir. He sometimes pays more attention than you'd think."

He must have heard something in her voice. Something that must have promised him a good story. They could hear him shuffling outside, and see his shadow move a little bit. "And how do you know this, Carter?"

She'd rather not say. It wasn't that great a story anyway. Well, Colonel O'Neill would surely think otherwise. In fact, it was a moment she often tried hard not to remember. Sam could hardly think of a time when she'd been more embarrassed.

"Come on, you can't just leave me hanging after making a comment like that." He whined after a noticeable silence.

Why didn't she just keep her mouth shut? Sam wasn't stupid, and she knew the Colonel well enough to be aware he wouldn't just leave something like this alone. And still she had brought it up. A brief moment of stupidity, it had to be.

"There's nothing to tell." She replied calmly and coolly.

"If that were true, you would have said so before." Sam felt her cheeks flush. "No need to be embarrassed, Carter. Now, spill it."

Damn, could he smell her discomfort or something?

He wasn't going to let it go, that much she knew, so there was no point in trying to avoid it any longer. "Well, on that mission to P9A 879…"

"You know me and designations." He admonished.

"The planet with those fluffy, purple rodents." Sam clarified.

"Oh, the 'psychedelic gerbil' planet." The Colonel sighed in recognition.

"Yes, sir. Daniel was copying down that writing he found on the pillar, and I was keeping watch nearby."

"And?" he signaled for her to continue.

While the 'psychedelic gerbils' had been harmless, there were mosquito-like insects that proved to be quite annoying. They weren't lethal, but their bites were itchy and extremely hard to ignore. That is, for all save Daniel and Teal'c, apparently. Daniel, of course, was completely engrossed in his work. Teal'c wouldn't have said anything whether the bites bothered him or not.

"While you were out scouting the perimeter. It was the second day we were there. Between just standing around there and those insects, I had pretty much had it with that planet. Daniel seemed to be taking forever, and I said so." Not TO Daniel, of course.

"What did you say?"

Sam reluctantly replied. "I said that I could be bitten to death by the bugs, and Daniel would still not be finished with his rocks."

She mumbled it actually, and it was 'stupid rocks.' Turned away from Daniel, no less. Sam had immediately noticed the silence behind her, and wheeled around to see Daniel fixing her with a hurt expression. Shocked that he had actually heard her, Sam could only look back for a few moments. She knew they weren't 'rocks,' and certainly not 'stupid.' Sam had immediately apologized, once she recovered, and hadn't stopped until the Colonel had radioed in.

Yeah, Daniel sure could surprise her at times. Sam wished he hadn't then.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, sir." Sam still cringed at the memory.

"Sounds like something I would say."

She decided not to respond.

"So, fixing the DHD is out of the question, isn't it?" he asked after a few moments.

"The alien does seem dead set against it. I guess in the morning we can see if he has the crystals hidden somewhere, and maybe convince him to let us replace them for a short time to leave, then he can take them back out."

"I thought you said something about rerouting something or other in there."

"Yes. I might be able to bypass the missing systems, but that could lead to problems in and of itself. One of the crystals that's missing acts as a sort of buffer for the power output. If the flow were to spike for some reason... well, the bomb would be the least of our worries." Sam didn't think that it would be worth it.

"That bad, huh?"

"The DHD does store enough power to run the 'gate for hundreds, if not thousands, of years."

She let his mind put it together.

"Big boom." The Colonel almost whispered.

"Yes, sir."

"We wait for Hammond then." He declared.

"It probably won't be too long after our deadline that he'll try to make contact." Sam speculated. The way things were going for SG-1 lately, she was pretty certain, and hopeful. Hammond taking his sweet time trying to figure out what had happened to them was not something she looked forward to.

"Probably." Colonel O'Neill agreed.

Silence fell between them yet again.

//Not that I'm complaining about the company, or anything, but is he really going to stand there until morning?// Alahn wondered.

**I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past him.**

With their dialogue brought to a temporary halt, Sam could hear Daniel's hushed voice as he talked with the alien. She desperately wished the Colonel would start speaking again, to continue to distract her from useless thoughts. That's when she realized that was exactly what he had been doing. While she knew he could hardly stand listening to Daniel drone on, especially in a language he didn't understand, he must have realized what the moment was doing for her.

Alahn took control, deciding to take matters into her own hands. "How much longer until sunrise?"

There was a pause before he replied, during which Sam could imagine him studying the sky. "Two hours, give or take."

"Do you think he'll tell us how to get to the other planet?"

**That was random, don't you think?**

//I know you wanted to ask that question, too.//

**Yes, but I had hoped to do it with just a little bit more tact than that.** Sam returned.

//Why? There's no point in hiding how we really feel. You say so yourself, he's not as stupid as he pretends to be.//

Considering Alahn had been the one most against sharing their feelings, Sam found the retort to be extremely ironic.

And, while before she wondered if he could sense her embarrassment, without looking through the material Sam just knew he was shuffling and going over his head what would be the best reply. Didn't mean it would be a good reply. Even when he thought things over, the Colonel didn't always know what to say. Alahn had really put him on the spot, and Sam thought she could hear it in the silence.

"Well, I don't know," he began and then paused for a moment, considering how to continue, "but... if anyone can get that Comb-Shush guy to spill, it's Daniel."

"You're right." Alahn replied.

**That was pretty eloquent for him.** Sam acknowledged.

//And nice to hear.// It was, too. Having someone other than themselves say something like that was comforting. A little, at least.

"Was that some sort of test?" Colonel O'Neill asked.

Like she had said, he didn't always know what to say.

Oh well, he still got half credit. That was pretty good for him.

*

Teal'c had heard some of the conversation between O'Neill and Major Carter. He had already completed his kel'no'reem, but he entered a meditative state to help keep their privacy. Even so, Teal'c couldn't help but overhear parts of what they said, and he was glad to note that both sounded quite positive, despite the obstacle recently placed in their path.

He exited the tent to see Daniel Jackson and Coumat-Shesh still seated by the fire, a pot of coffee brewing. The archaeologist looked over to him. "Hey, Teal'c."

"Daniel Jackson. Has your inquiry proven fruitful?"

"Very. There's a lot to know about these people. The social structure is highly complex."

Major Carter took that time to exit her tent. O'Neill was still out scouting the perimeter.

"Is he still against telling us the coordinates?" Major Carter asked.

Daniel looked down at the ground. "At the moment, yes. But it seems that the fear of Terak somehow getting the address is what's stopping him. From what I can gather, if that weren't an issue, he wouldn't really have a problem telling us."

She thought on that for several moments before responding. "Tell him that we have a way of getting out of here without using the DHD, and that we won't go to the planet from here anyway."

Teal'c listened as Daniel Jackson relayed the sentiment to the Xel'nagan.

"(There is no way without the input device.)" Coumat-Shesh countered.

"(That is untrue.)" Teal'c responded.

"(All you need is a power source. When our people make contact to figure out why we haven't returned, we'll be able to get one. Then it's just a matter of spinning the Stargate manually.)" Daniel interjected.

The alien stood and looked around briefly. He was apparently debating the matter with himself. "(I do not believe it.)"

"(It's the truth.)" Daniel Jackson tried once more to get through to him.

"Well?" she asked.

"He does not believe us." Teal'c replied.

"Maybe when Hammond does send through the naquadah generator he'll change his mind." Daniel Jackson put forth.

"Maybe." She responded, her tone belying that she seriously doubted it.

The way events had been unfolding, Teal'c couldn't blame her.

Finally, he heard O'Neill returning. After a few moments, he came forth from the surrounding foliage.

"Good morning, campers," the Colonel greeted, "miss me?"

O'Neill caught a glance of Major Carter's expression. He spoke more cautiously this time. "What'd I miss?"

"Coumat-Shesh still will not give us the address." Teal'c informed him.

"Daniel?"

"Hey, are you going to blame me for this?" Daniel returned in indignation.

"No, I was going to ask exactly what you two have been talking about... about the coordinates. What have you tried already?"

"Oh," the archaeologist replied, his anger deflating, "Um, we've tried to tell him that we won't need to use the DHD to get out of here, and therefore won't have to worry about that device. He doesn't believe us. We've also told him that we wouldn't be inputting the coordinates from here, anyway."

O'Neill thought on it for a moment. "I got nothing."

"Yeah, that's pretty much where we're at, too. Our last hope seems to be if he'll have a change of heart when Hammond sends through the generator so we can dial home." Daniel sighed.

Teal'c looked at their faces. All of them seemed to think it was a long shot, and it probably was. But they were left with no other choices at the present time. Teal'c hoped, like the rest, that the Xel'nagan would decide to tell them, but didn't let himself forget that it probably wouldn't happen.

"What are we going to do until the General contacts us?" Major Carter asked.

"I did find a nice clearing not too far away. I'm sure we could jury-rig some hockey sticks and something to hit. Or lacrosse, at least. It was the Native American's desperate attempt to have hockey without ice or pucks, you know. Lacrosse, that is." O'Neill trailed off, noticing no one was going for his idea.

"I still think I could learn more from Coumat-Shesh that could potentially help us out." Daniel returned.

"More fodder for the debriefing, I see." The Colonel accused.

"I shall remain here with Daniel Jackson." Teal'c added.

O'Neill looked to Major Carter. He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Come on. You know you want to."

She shook her head.

"Alahn?" O'Neill tried.

Bowing her head briefly, Alahn shook her head. "Nope."

"You're all no fun."

No one responded, Daniel Jackson already continuing his dialogue with the alien, Teal'c listening intently, and Alahn simply turning around and sitting on a log.

"No fun at all." He sulked, walking off.

Teal'c looked over to Alahn, who had a curious expression on her face. He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"He didn't really expect any of us to go along with that, did he?" she asked in response.

Daniel Jackson ceased talking with the Xel'nagan long enough to respond. "Of course not, Jack knows that none of us are really into the sport."

Teal'c didn't know whether to respond or not. While he didn't wish to play at that moment, hockey was an honorable sport that could be beneficial practice for warriors. It demanded cunning and stamina, two qualities that were necessary in war. There was a lot about the sport to commend.

He decided that it wasn't worth bringing up right then.

*

Jack was going insane with boredom. Looking down at his watch, which he had already done countless times since they officially became overdue, he saw that they were four hours late now. He stood beside the MALP and stared impatiently at the inactive Stargate. Using his mind, he willed the 'gate to begin turning, blinking, SOMETHING. Well, it was worth a shot, because he had heard from a very reliable source named Neo, that, in reality, there was no spoon.

Apparently the same didn't hold true for Stargates.

While he was waiting for their rescue, everyone else seemed to be happily distracted. Daniel was STILL talking to the alien, Jack would never be sure how he could manage so much gab at one time. He knew that if it were him, he would have either shot the alien or shot himself long ago. Teal'c was listening silently, looking more like a statue than a living person. And Carter was fiddling around with some doohickey from her pack.

Four hours and 17 minutes. The sun was already dipping low in the sky. Jack sighed. This would really be an inopportune time for Hammond to decide that he didn't need to check up on them immediately.

Finally, the 'gate began to spin.

"Yes!" Jack shouted, pumping his fist in the air. He turned around and saw that all of the others had stopped what they had been doing, and were staring at him.

Not really caring, he ignored them and positioned himself in front of the MALP's camera. The Stargate kawooshed to life, all the while Jack stared intently at the probe before him.

After a few seconds pause he heard the General's voice issue from the machine. "Colonel O'Neill?"

"Well, it's about time, sir." He responded.

"What's going on? Why haven't you returned through the Stargate?"

"It's a long and interesting story, one full of climaxes, anticlimaxes, and all the twists and nuances one would expect from a good paperback." Jack responded.

"Colonel." Hammond replied in a warning tone.

"The short answer, sir, is the DHD's what one might call... broken. We're gonna need a naquadah generator to dial home." He told the machine.

"And what about your mission?"

"At the moment, that's up in the air. We met a group of the aliens here, the details I'm sure Daniel will be glad to give you in full once we return. These guys were apparently POW's of Terak's, and have been left here. One of them has told us that the rest of their people escaped somewhere else, but he won't tell us the coordinates. We're hoping he'll change his mind before we leave."

There was a moment of silence. "I see. Ok, Colonel, I'll have a generator prepped and sent through within the hour."

"Thank you, sir." Jack replied.

"Good luck, Colonel. Hammond out." At that the Stargate disengaged.

Jack made his way to where the others were situated. "Hammond's gonna send through a generator ASAP."

"That's good." Daniel replied.

"Any luck with Coomy yet?"

"No, he still won't tell me the address. I did just tell him our power source was coming and that we could prove to him we didn't need the DHD."

"I don't understand why he trusts us at all. We look just like the Goa'uld, and I can't imagine they've had that much contact with humans in other contexts." Carter stated.

"It's a cultural thing. To his people, your word is your bond. For the most part, he trusts our word. I asked him why, and he says he feels that we are trustworthy." Daniel shrugged, not really able to explain it himself, because he also didn't really understand it.

"Good for us." Jack commented.

It was only 47 minutes later, though Jack wasn't really keeping track, that the Stargate reactivated and a naquadah generator was sent through. Carter began hooking the device up to the Stargate.

The Xel'nagan immediately spoke with Daniel.

"What's he saying?" Jack asked Teal'c.

"He is asking if this is the power source we have spoken of."

He could only assume that Daniel's reply was a 'yes.' Motioning Teal'c to follow, Jack made his way to the Stargate.

"Done?" he asked Carter.

"Just one second." She replied, fiddling with one of the connections.

"Daniel, we're gonna dial it up now. See what you can do over there." Jack called out. He began to manually spin the inner ring with Teal'c when Carter gave the signal. They dialed Earth directly since they didn't have to worry about the DHD.

The Xel'nagan watched on with fascination as each chevron locked. The seventh one lit up, and the wormhole established with its usual brilliance.

Daniel did some more talking to the alien, at which Jack looked over to Teal'c.

"Daniel Jackson told Coumat-Shesh that we have proven our claim. He also pointed out that we did not dial his planet, so he need not worry about the DHD recording the address either way."

Coomy looked around hesitantly for several moments. Finally he spoke.

Teal'c translated the words before Jack could ask. "He asks one thing from us if he tells us how to reach the planet."

"What's that?"

"He wishes us not to mention what Terak has done to them, or that they currently reside here, so that those here may live out their lives peacefully." Teal'c responded.

"Oh." Jack couldn't help but think it was extremely awkward to be hiding from your own people. Then again, the Xel'nagans situation was pretty extraordinary. What he asked would be easy enough to do, and it seemed the least they owed him for the information.

Jack watched as the Xel'nagan walked up to the DHD, Daniel following as he pulled out a notebook. Coomy then pointed to symbols and Daniel copied them down.

"That was easy." Jack commented.

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.

Carter looked at them both. "I've had enough of the hard way, haven't you?"

She had a point. Jack looked down to his GDO.

"I have already transmitted the signal, O'Neill." Teal'c stated.

"Good," Jack held down the button on his radio, "SGC, this is SG-1, MALP's ready for retrieval."

"Copy that." The Sergeant's voice replied. After a moment the probe trundled its way towards the Stargate.

Once it was through they made their way up to the open wormhole. Jack watched as Daniel turned around and spoke a few words to the alien.

"What did he say?" Jack asked Teal'c.

"He hopes his people continue to know peace." Teal'c responded.

"Yeah, me too." Jack whispered.

It was a nice sentiment as they all made their way through the Stargate. Of course, Jack wasn't real big on the emotional thing. Even so, he couldn't help but feel something for these people. They had been through so much and apparently couldn't even go home.

On the other side, they were all greeted by the faces of the S.F.'s and technicians, as well as the questioning expression of the General who stood at the bottom of the ramp.

"SG-1, it's good to have you back." Hammond greeted.

"Good to be back, sir." Jack returned.

And it really was good to be back.

"All went well, I hope?"

"Considering... yes, sir."

"Good, your briefing is scheduled for 1600. Report to the infirmary."

With nods and brief words, they all made their way out of the Gate Room.

*

Alahn sighed contentedly as she made her way towards the infirmary. She had managed to reach the locker room first, so was able to shower and change while the guys completed their post-mission exams. Clean and with a fresh change of clothes, she was in a good mood for her own exam.

Neither could really believe that the alien had actually told them what they wanted to know.

Alahn was excited, and Sam was pretty happy herself. They were that much closer to hopefully finding a solution to their problem. Everything they had gone through so far did dampen their current good mood. As events had shown, one bit of good news usually meant that something unexpected, or at least unwanted, was going to happen next. To actually think that this might be the final piece was too much for either of them to hope.

She entered the infirmary and immediately saw Janet writing something in a chart.

"Hey," Janet greeted, "you look happy."

"Yeah. We might have finally caught a break on this." Alahn replied.

"Daniel did sound rather excited when he was in here. They can help you?"

Janet motioned her to one of the beds and Alahn sat down upon it. "No one on that planet could help us. One of them gave us the coordinates to the place the rest of them are. Hopefully they can, and will, help us."

"I'd have to say you sound a lot more... positive than I've seen either of you recently." The Doctor commented.

Alahn felt her cheeks flush as she remembered the breakdown incident in the woods. As much as they might have needed the release, it was still an embarrassing moment. Thankfully, Janet was not Jack, and would respect her privacy.

"I came to realize some things." She replied cryptically.

"I see." Janet replied, but didn't press for details. "Well, I'm glad."

"Me too."

Taking a blood sample, Janet continued. "From what I heard, I take it the aliens on the planet had it pretty rough."

"That's an understatement. They were essentially prisoners. Bait." Alahn felt her chest tighten, remembering how she had wanted to blame them for anything and everything, even if it was only for a short time.

"Bait?"

"Terak mutilated them, and then left them on the planet. He rigged the DHD so that if those that escaped came back for them and then dialed out, he would have the coordinates to their world. One of them had a symbiote, and was the only one with any real intelligence, and he sabotaged the DHD to prevent that from happening." She explained.

"And that's why you were stuck on the planet until Hammond contacted you." Janet concluded, and Alahn nodded.

The rest of the exam went quickly, and Alahn made her way to the briefing room.

Everyone else was already there when she arrived, so they started immediately. General Hammond motioned for Jack to begin.

"Well, sir, we did find the aliens on the planet, but they were in pretty bad shape." Jack stated.

"How so?" Hammond asked.

"They were warriors, and most had some obvious damage left over from their fight against Terak and his cronies. All of them had makeshift lobotomies."

"Excuse me?"

Sam took control to respond. "Terak had all of their brains damaged. Only a few ever said anything at all, and then it was only a word."

"From what Colonel O'Neill told me on the planet, one of them was talking to you intelligently." The General countered.

"Yes, sir. That one had a symbiote, which is who we talked to. The Xel'nagan was mutilated like the rest, it was probably incapable of much speech." She replied.

"A symbiote?"

"He used to be one of the council members." Daniel explained.

"And the Gould just allowed him to remain?" the General concluded speculatively.

"According to him, Terak didn't know he was there. His previous host was left for dead, and he blended with one of the others when they were left on the planet."

Hammond considered the information for a few moments. "So what's the bottom line?"

"Talking with Coumat-Shesh, he's the alien from the planet, I was able to learn some important things about their culture that may be useful for making contact with his people. Which, thanks to the fact that he gave us the coordinates, we can do." Daniel explained.

"I see." Hammond replied.

"In fact," Daniel began, "Coumat-Shesh told me that a symbiote cannot control his species. Both host and symbiote can take control any time they wish. This didn't happen on the planet because of the mutilation of his host. This would explain how Tralik's introduction into their world had some benefits."

"So that snakehead's host was able to keep ahead." Jack concluded, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

"Apparently."

"And you didn't think to tell us sooner?" Jack added.

"There wasn't really a good place to bring it up, and he stated it as such an offhanded remark when I asked about how good things came about with Tralik there that what he said didn't really sink in."

Hammond's look stopped Jack from pursuing the matter. He ushered the debriefing back on the main topic.

After hearing all the vital information, General Hammond spoke. "Very good. Doctor Jackson, I want you to put together the pertinent information and coordinate with the rest of SG-1 to come up with a viable mission plan. Let me know when you have everything set. Dismissed."

*

Teal'c noticed a pensive look on Major Carter's face as they left the Briefing Room. Confident in the topic of her musing, he made his way to her side.

"You appear most thoughtful." He stated as they continued walking.

"There's a lot to think about." She returned.

He nodded in acceptance. Teal'c could only imagine what exactly they might have going through their minds at that moment. Their search had turned up nothing concrete as of yet, only giving them just enough to spur them on. It would be natural for them to have doubts about this upcoming planet, he had his own.

"The proposed mission makes you uncomfortable." While Major Carter and Alahn seemed to be more understanding of their predicament after their talk with Daniel Jackson, Teal'c knew this latest twist could be detrimental to their morale.

Still walking, she turned her head to face him, trying to read Teal'c. "Don't tell me you're certain it's just going to be that easy."

"I do not." After all they had already been through, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that nothing more would get in their way.

With the luck of SG-1, it wouldn't be unprecedented.

"Daniel Jackson is most hopeful." He pointed out.

"Someone has to be. Right now, I think we could go all over the galaxy and still come up with nothing. Even if the Xel'nagans are there and thriving, who says they would have any interest in helping us out? Their own people are outcasts and they've done nothing wrong."

"Not all cultures hold the same values as the Tau'ri. In fact, many of the nations of this planet hold diverse views on what is important."

"That isn't exactly encouraging, Teal'c." she returned.

"It was my intention to show that it would be unwise to form any conclusions until we know more of these people."

She didn't reply, but the set of her jaw showed Teal'c that she accepted his words.

"Daniel Jackson has acquired much information on the Xel'nagans. If there is a way to enlist their aide, I believe he will find it." Teal'c added.

"Daniel, I trust. It's the rest of the universe I'm not so sure about right now."

TBC


	6. Reunion

Legacy of the Xel'naga 6: Reunion

Author: Confushi Sushi

Email: confushi_

Rating: PG13 (just to be safe)

Spoilers: None for this one... I think.

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst

Pairing(s): none in this part

Season: Looking like sometime late 3rd, maybe 4th

Summary: Some people don't give up, and sometimes it's the wrong people.

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back, I swear.

A/N: Yes, it has been forever and a coon's age. Um.... I humbly beg your forgiveness? But, if you want to blame someone, blame college. Yeah, because they're meanies and don't understand that I need time to do other stuff. But, here is part 6 for you now, in all it's glory. Feedback is my lifeblood! Oh, and don't forget to thank the ever diligent Queen, because words just sorta... disappeared. Enjoy.

*

He seethed. His rage had not dissipated since that disgraceful moment days ago. If anything it had grown hotter. They had dared to defy him. They had gone against him. They had escaped him, and that was what made the entire situation intolerable.

He was a god, and no one defied a god without retribution.

Yet these ones had. Simple humans and a Tok'ra. It was a disgrace beyond disgrace. It was unacceptable. He was Terak. Once his empire had been grand. Now, he couldn't keep four insignificant creatures in check.

The only other soul on the pal'tek was Terak's First Prime. Not the same one that he had had before this incident. No, he had killed his former First Prime long ago for interrupting his thoughts. It took little provocation for death these days, of which his followers were acutely aware.

Fear radiated from the jaffa as he ran the controls of the Ha'tak.

Ha'tak. It was the only true asset that Terak still had in his possession. It didn't even have a full complement of jaffa, which only made him angrier. The ship was virtually empty, the halls too numerous for the jaffa that he did have to keep a tight guard. An Ash'rak would have an easy time of getting to Terak.

He looked through the view port to the alien's planet below. He had finally found all that he had been after, just not in the condition he had hoped. The sarcophagus still awaited repair. Tralik, on the other hand, could not be returned.

Remembering how he punished the aliens after they proved to be no help to him did nothing to soften the anger. It hadn't been difficult to identify the portion of their brain that was responsible for higher functions. Destroying it in each alien he had found had been satisfying, at the time. But, it had done nothing to bring back Tralik. It was even beyond the sarcophagus' power.

Terak sat. He boiled. He fumed. His rage only grew hotter as with each passing moment he knew vengeance would not be his.

"My Lord," the First Prime called out shakily, "two Ha'taks have entered the system!"

"What?" Who could it be? None of the System Lords had taken any interest in his actions for quite some time. Who would come after him now?

"The vessels approach."

Two Ha'taks. If he fled, they could simply follow him. If he stayed and fought, it was certain death. Why did the universe torment him so?

"Raise the shields and ready the weapons." Terak commanded. He might as well die here.

"My Lord Terak..." the First Prime began to argue, but he was cut off. "We are receiving a communication."

"Show me."

On the view port materialized an image of a Goa'uld Terak had never seen before. The host was average looking at best. It was a creature Terak would not even consider for implantation. Opulent blue robes were the only indication that he was looking at a Goa'uld.

"Always so hasty." The tones rang with amusement. "Stand down, Terak."

This thing dared to command him? "How dare you order me?"

"How quickly you forget." The Goa'uld replied, and then paused for a moment. "No, there is no reason you should know me. Not anymore. I knew I would find you here. How could I ever have doubted?"

Terak only looked on with suspicion as the Goa'uld's words became more senile.

He could only stare in bewilderment as the thing before him seemed to respond to his expression. "It has been far too long, my brother, hasn't it? But, now that we are whole once more, we can seek retribution for the injustices I have been done."

*

Daniel studied the notes he had made while talking with Coumat-Shesh, and had completed after they had returned to Earth. He was both excited and reservedly optimistic. The Xel'nagans had a rich history, of which he had learned only a part, and a very complex social structure. While there were many things that could potentially help their case when contacting the planet that Coumat-Shesh had given him the address to, some of what he learned could prove disastrous.

Their complex society was on the verge of a violent change.

The change itself would be beneficial to their cause. But, it most likely was still underway, Coumat-Shesh was certain it would not have been resolved in the time that he had been away. The Xel'nagans were based on traditions, and many of those traditions would have to be destroyed. Many would be opposed to such change. If the metamorphosis was still underway, there would be chaos.

Teal'c entered the room, breaking Daniel from his silent musings.

"Daniel Jackson." Teal'c greeted with his usual bow.

"Hey, Teal'c." he replied.

It was only a moment before Sam and Jack also entered. They needed to make a plan for contacting the planet, so Daniel had to tell them everything he knew about these people, which had only been skimmed over in the briefing. Between the four of them, they would come up with something.

"What do we know?" Jack asked as he took a seat by the desk, the others following.

Not in the mood for any preamble, Daniel noted.

"I guess I should start from the beginning," Daniel returned, shifting the papers in front of him, "Kantari-Tralik's reign made a radical change to the Xel'nagans' social structure. Their people value tradition above all else. Because of this, technological advances are slow in coming, and heavily resisted before becoming part of their culture."

Jack quirked his eyebrow. "Considering the pyramid and everything else we saw, they didn't seem technologically inferior to me."

"I said slow in coming, not that they are in a standstill. It took them a very long time to get to where they are today." Daniel countered.

"You mentioned a radical change, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c pointed out.

"Yes, I did. Under Kantari-Tralik's rule, their scientists enjoyed privilege and freedom to work as they had never known before. He encouraged technological growth and, thus, the building of the pyramid."

Daniel realized Sam must have seen the 'but' in his eyes. "I take it this didn't go over well with everyone."

"Not by a long shot. While the scientists fully backed his leadership, the warriors were the main group opposed to this change. They honored Kantari for his ability to hold the god at bay, so nothing came of it while he remained in power." Daniel answered.

"Lucky him." Jack commented.

"While he remained in power." Sam repeated, quickly mulling over the phrase. "What about after that?"

Daniel shifted in his seat. "Without him to hold everything together, their society became strained. The relations between the Warriors and the Scientists were, maybe still are, at an all-time low. They disagreed radically on how their people should continue."

"How so?" Teal'c asked.

"The Warriors are reactionaries to the extreme. As Coumat-Shesh explained it, they believe that the honor and glory they received from their people would be diminished with the advent of more technology. Of course, they don't use this argument with their own people. Their excuse is that they have already proven themselves as powerful as gods by being able to coexist with one in their body. They say that their culture should be preserved, and that any change would destroy it."

"So, it was the Warriors' pride that prevented them from being an effective force when Terak attacked." Sam concluded, her eyes closing in an expression of exasperation.

Daniel could understand her thinking. The Xel'nagans wariness of change and advances had all but destroyed them. In a terrifying flash, Daniel realized their overconfidence was almost identical to that of the Gould. The fact only served to drive home that the two species had a link.

He had to wonder if Tralik had left behind more than they may have suspected.

"We've heard a lot about these Warriors. What about the Scientist guys?" Jack asked, bringing Daniel out of his musings.

"They're basically the opposite of the Warriors in every way. While the Warriors try to stunt growth, the Scientists try to promote it. They believe that their people MUST change. The other casts have either taken sides or attempted to remain neutral on the matter."

"The situation appears most unstable." Teal'c commented.

That was one way of putting it. Their hope seemed to lay in a drastic change to the Xel'nagan philosophy. It was a big risk, but one that had to be taken.

"You can say that again. Looks like we're setting up to enter into a civil unrest, or even war." Jack supplied.

There was a long moment of silence as they all pondered the implications. Sam was the one to finally speak. "First thing first, how do we go about establishing contact?"

"The Stargate will likely be guarded." Teal'c replied.

"Send through a MALP and hope they're not a shoot-first-ask-later bunch."

Jack's suggestion had validity, but Daniel saw one major flaw. "Communication will be tricky, though. I doubt that there will be a Gould-speaking Xel'nagan near the 'gate to talk with. And I can't speak their language so we can't talk to them through the radio."

Jack's brow creased as he thought over the information. "But you can write it?"

"Yeah." Daniel answered cautiously, not quite seeing where Jack was going with it.

"Attach a note."

It was a simple and effective approach. Daniel shook his head slightly for not considering it himself.

Sam brought up a flaw with the plan though. "What then? How will we know they understand, or even agree?"

"Can we not request in the note the presence of someone who is able to speak Goa'uld?"

"We won't know how long it might take to get such a person to the 'gate." Sam pointed out another problem. "On the other planet their settlement was a long ways from the Stargate."

Daniel's eyes widened as a solution came to him. "We can tell them we'll activate the Stargate at regular intervals. Hopefully their days are about the same as ours."

It was the best they could do really, and everyone nodded in acceptance. Jack finalized the arrangement. "Daniel, you start drafting our little post-it, and I'll let Hammond know what we have in mind."

*

Sam sighed, trying to think of some way to occupy herself until they implemented their plan. The Colonel had already come back and said that General Hammond had given them the go ahead. All they were waiting on was SG-5's return from their latest mission, which was imminent, and for Daniel to finish the note.

Walking down the corridor, unsure of where she was going while deep in thought, she came to a stop.

//We could go back to Daniel.// Alahn suggested, unable to come up with anything else.

The only reason Sam had left in the first place was to prevent herself from being a nuisance. But the minutes ticked by with maddening slowness. Both of them were too focused on what was to come to concentrate on anything else. Sam was reluctant to impose herself on Daniel while he was busy on something so important, but she couldn't think of any other possibilities save walking down the hallways randomly like she already was.

**Maybe we can help.** Sam mentally justified, turning around in the hall towards Daniel's office.

A few moments later she had crossed the threshold to see Daniel slowly drawing symbols onto a piece of paper. She watched for a short while as he looked at the notes from his journal before finishing the character.

She cleared her throat softly to announce her presence, not wanting to startle him and ruin something.

"How is it?" Sam asked.

"Coming along." The reply was drawn out as he finished the line.

There was a pause before she spoke again. "Anything we can do to help?"

Daniel thought on it for a moment, his brow drawing up slightly. He looked apologetic as he answered. "Not really, I'm afraid."

Sam was lost, not sure what to do. If she couldn't be of some assistance to Daniel then what was she going to do to pass the time? Her nerves were wound so tight that she needed to do something, though.

//Now what?// Alahn wondered.

**If we stay here we'll just end up getting in the way.** Sam replied, but couldn't come up with anything else.

Daniel stopped her as she was about to leave. "Actually, I could use an outside opinion with this. Writing the language isn't as simple as translating from one word to another. The whole structure is different from Gould, or English, for that matter."

"How so?" Sam asked.

"Well, each symbol represents an object or idea." Daniel pointed to the first symbol. "If the ideas behind each symbol were identified correctly, this one represents peace, calm, or tranquility. This next one roughly means that the last symbol is a property of the next, which is offworlders."

"Peaceful offworlders." Sam mulled over the phrase in her head. "Us."

"Hopefully." Daniel replied.

"What's the rest of the line?" she asked.

He fingered through the text as he spoke. "Enemies of Goa'uld seek from Xel'nagans aid."

She couldn't identify any faults with the line, though she didn't expect to. Daniel was more than qualified for this work and there was practically no chance of her picking up anything he would miss. Sam let Daniel humor her, glad he realized she just didn't have anywhere else to be. Even if she didn't have much chance of actually being helpful, Sam listened as he shared the rest of the letter, which conveyed that they couldn't speak the Xel'nagan's language, and would open the Stargate regularly until someone they could communicate with arrived.

If the translations were correct as he had already pointed out.

She had a hard time believing that they would be wrong. Daniel had worked on the translations himself, along with the Tok'ra. With his insight into languages in general, and the Tok'ra's knowledge of the galaxy, it just didn't seem possible that they both could mess it up.

//Then what will get in our way this time?// Alahn wondered.

**Hopefully, nothing.**

Sam thought about them contacting the planet, the Xel'nagans both willing and able to help. She'd have her body back. Hers. A pang of shock ran through Sam as she couldn't conjure up a clear image of herself. Only a ghostly image of what could be anyone.

Why couldn't she remember what she looked like?

**Has it really been so long?** she wondered in despair. She couldn't forget herself in one month, could she?

Alahn had no idea how to reply. What could she possibly say in response to Sam's thoughts that would mean anything.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked.

"I just wonder, if we find what we're looking for here, how things will be from now on. You guys won't look at me the same anymore. Hell, I know I won't be able to."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, you know. Maybe it's time for all of us to get a new perspective." Daniel replied.

The Colonel picked that moment to poke his head in the doorway. "You done yet?"

"Yes, Jack." Daniel replied as though talking to a petulant child.

"All right, then. The MALP's getting lonely." Colonel O'Neill stared impatiently at his watch to drive his point home.

Daniel chose not to respond, gathering up the carefully prepared note. They made their way to the control room where Teal'c stood waiting, giving them a slight nod as they entered. As Daniel handed the paper to Siler, Sam realized she was beginning to fidget. Alahn also found that her thoughts were in turmoil. Considering they'd probably learn nothing for quite some time, it didn't seem right to be feeling this way just yet.

Unless the aliens decided to destroy the MALP... or no one was there.

//Maybe we should just wait and see what happens.// Alahn suggested, not really wanting to think about the various possibilities that might await them.

Sam agreed and was startled by a hand making contact with her shoulder. Looking over, she saw Teal'c by her side, giving her an almost imperceptible nod. Thankfully, the others' attention was focused on the MALP below, because Sam realized that she must have been an open book at that moment. Not that she expected her feelings on this moment to be in any way a secret, she would rather not be on display, though. Sam accepted the gesture, allowing the warmth of his hand to spread through her, leaving behind a sense of calm. After taking a slow, steady breath, Sam returned the nod in thanks.

Leave it to Teal'c to say everything that needed to be said without making a sound.

"Is everything ready?" Hammond asked as he entered the Control Room.

"Just waiting for Siler to make the finishing touches, sir." The Colonel responded.

Hammond grabbed the microphone. "Sergeant?"

Siler turned his attention away from the MALP, giving the Control Room a thumbs up. Sam and Alahn couldn't help a brief moment of nervousness from returning. This was it.

"Dial the 'gate." General Hammond ordered and the technician on duty immediately complied.

As the inner circle began turning, Sam felt her previous calm leave as quickly as it had come. Something was going to happen... she just didn't know what. After what felt like an eternity, the seventh chevron locked and the wormhole activated. Sam and Alahn's mutual anticipation doubled. One possible pitfall had been averted, the address was valid.

"MALP away." The technician announced as the probe made its way up the ramp. As the machine passed through the event horizon, Sam couldn't help but to close her eyes, begging that the MALP not be destroyed on the other side.

"Receiving MALP telemetry in 3... 2... 1."

Sam jumped at what she saw as she opened her eyes. Through the monitor she could see that the MALP was surrounded by at least a dozen Xel'nagans, each wielding a weapon identical to the one they had seen some of the aliens with on the other planet.

They were opened and primed to fire.

"Stop the MALP." Daniel immediately cautioned.

The technician looked up to Hammond who nodded his approval.

"Don't move the camera or anything on the MALP. We don't want to do something they might deem a threat." Daniel then amended.

None of the aliens moved for some time, all transfixed on the MALP. Sam was glad Daniel had spoken so quickly, they looked ready to fire the instant anything were to break the imposed stalemate. It did give her time to make some observations, if nothing else. These Xel'nagans were dressed similarly to the one they had found in the pyramid so long ago, their kilts being more muted colors.

"Kalwea." A Xel'nagan standing at the far left corner of the frame said, shifting in what appeared to be irritation.

"Betan nela da kalwea." Came a reply from off-camera.

There was a pause as the first appeared to completely resent the statement of the second.

"Drestak entad usteba." One on the other side commented, nodding its head at the MALP.

"Entras?" The invisible Xel'nagan returned.

"Entras mesada Xel'naga." The previous one answered.

"Shenda nagae bo." The off-camera Xel'nagan again spoke, apparently the leader of the group.

"I think they found the note." Daniel commented as the third Xel'nagan cautiously approached the MALP, the others holding their weapons all the more firmly. After retrieving the paper it quickly backed away. Leaving the view of the camera, which remained still at a cautionary motion from Daniel, Sam had to guess the Xel'nagan took the paper to the leader. Talking could be heard off-camera, but it was just as meaningless as everything else the aliens had said so far.

Thirty-eight minutes after it had opened, the wormhole promptly shut down. Despite their observations, they had learned nothing of what the Xel'nagans planned to do about the note they had just received. The leader had looked over the paper for some time, seeming to act so slowly on purpose. They also didn't know whether the note had actually said what it was supposed to say, there COULD have been a mistake somewhere, or a misunderstanding of some symbol. But, for her own sanity, Sam held onto the one positive thing that had come so far...

The Xel'nagans didn't blow up the MALP and, whether it was understood or not, they had received the note.

*

Jack had to mentally laugh at himself. Up in the control room waiting for the aliens to do whatever it was they were going to do, he had been about the quietest he could ever remember being. There hadn't been much for him to say, certainly not anything that would make a difference in any small way. If he had said anything, it would have just been sarcastic remarks about how boring it had been to just stand there.

Instead, he had taken the time to do his own observing. Jack had seen how riveted Carter had been to the whole proceedings. Aside from himself, they all were focused solely on the screen in front of them, save for Teal'c. Jack saw Teal'c glance sideways at Carter from time to time, assuring that he wasn't the only one that noticed how she hung on every action. It was why he had decided to remain silent in the first place, she needed something to happen, and him pointing out the virtual inactivity before them wouldn't have made her feel any better. He wasn't about to be mean about it.

Sitting down in the commissary, Jack found himself staring down the piece of pie in front of him. It wasn't like there was anything else to do at the moment, so he figured he might as well put the time to good use. Pie was a relaxant, allowing the consumer to temporarily forget the world around them. Or, at least, that was how it tended to work.

Stabbing the fork into the flaky crust while staring at the apple filling oozing out of the sides, he realized just how tired HE was of waiting. Jack could only imagine how fed up Carter and Alahn were getting with the whole thing. Of course, he was a man of action, and while they had seen plenty of action recently, none of it had turned out very productive. Even worse than standing still was going around in circles.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Teal'c enter. The two exchanged an acknowledging nod as the large man made his way to the line. Jack could only watch with amusement as Teal'c made his way about, grabbing pie and other dessert food without discretion. A pang of jealousy ran through Jack as he watched the tray pile high with food. Only Teal'c could cram so much into his mouth and still keep his girlish figure.

After taking his fill, Teal'c made his way to Jack's table and sat down.

"Leave something for anyone else?" Jack joked.

Teal'c deigned not to respond and dug into a bowl of jello. Fork still skewering his own dessert, Jack cut off a portion and started eating, too. For a while there was relative silence, aside from the clanking of plates and silverware.

"Your mind is troubled." Teal'c announced as he watched Jack play around with his food. It was an observation that really didn't need to be made these days. He knew there hadn't been a moment in all of this where any of them didn't have something on their mind.

"No more than usual. You saw Carter in there."

"Indeed." Jack thought he could hear something a little deeper than understanding in the word, which made him wonder what he might have missed.

"If it wasn't obvious before... this whole thing has been drawn on for far too long." Jack commented wryly. He may as well not let Teal'c get in all the unnecessary observations.

"It has," Teal'c agreed, "but we all must come to accept the possibility that the resolution we seek may not come to pass."

Jack knew he was right, but he wasn't ready to accept that possibility. He had made it this far by not really accepting the situation in the first place. Sure, Jack knew that the thing inside of Alahn was Carter, but his mind didn't embrace that idea. People didn't turn into snakes, or anything else, for that matter.

Even if that weren't the case, how could he just come to terms with a teammate, a friend, being condemned to such a fate?

"I don't know if I can do that, T."

Teal'c nodded. "If that is the case, can you work past your own difficulties with the situation to help Major Carter accept such a possibility?"

"We're not done trying, yet." Jack dodged.

"No, and I suspect we never truly would be."

*

Hammond made his way from his office to the Control Room. It was no surprise for him to see Major Carter and Alahn standing by the empty technician's station, even though it was still some time before the scheduled wormhole activation to communicate with the Xel'nagans... hopefully.

"Major. Alahn." The General greeted, receiving a slight jump in response. He did not think that they would have been so oblivious to his arrival.

"General." Alahn returned after a moment.

"There is still an hour before the scheduled contact." He told her, though he was sure that she was aware of that much.

"I know."

"How long have you been here?" Hammond asked with both curiosity and empathy.

Alahn looked around the room as if trying to find a reference before replying. "I don't know."

Which no doubt meant that they had been there for quite some time. The General had come down early just because he knew one or more of SG-1 would already be there waiting. That Major Carter was there had been no surprise to him, what they were trying to do had everything to do with her. He knew how long she had been waiting for some solution or another that had yet to show itself.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, catching Alahn by surprise. She had not been anticipating such a question.

"I'm wondering what these guys will be like if and when we actually talk to them. Even if they do have the power to do something, will they even want to help?"

It was a question he didn't have an answer for, or a response that was worth giving. They'd have to see what would happen. Of course, that was the problem in a nutshell, they didn't know.

After standing with her a few moments, Hammond decided there wasn't any reason to hold off for another hour before making contact. No SG team was scheduled to return, and SG-7 would depart that afternoon. Taking a few steps over to the phone, he called the rest of SG-1 up so they could get on with things.

He, too, wanted to know what would happen next.

It was only a few short minutes later that everyone was standing in the control room, including the technician that had stepped away. A second MALP stood ready at the bottom of the ramp, just in case. Everything looked ready.

"Dial up the 'gate, Sergeant." Hammond ordered.

"Yes, sir." They all looked on in silence as the inner ring began to spin. Even O'Neill was uncharacteristically quiet as they waited.

The 'gate awoke with its usual splendor. After the event horizon retreated back into itself, the feed from the first MALP began on the screen, showing that it had not been destroyed between then and now. Warriors surrounded the Stargate, the scene almost identical to the one from the other day.

Identical, save for one figure who stood out from the rest.

The new Xel'nagan stood with a presence that drew attention to it. It wore a silver, reflective kilt, and a flowing cape of the same color covered one shoulder and brushed against the ground below. A large earring glinted from the top of one ear, the tentacles that covered its head were braided in a style similar to dreadlocks.

After taking one step forward, the alien stood still and looked directly into the camera, appearing to realize its purpose. Only one word was spoken, the tones of a symbiote adding to the commanding quality of its voice. "Kelsa."

"What did it say?" Major Carter asked.

"Speak." Teal'c replied.

"Doesn't beat around the bush, now does he?" Colonel O'Neill commented.

Doctor Jackson looked back towards Hammond, seeking approval before he continued. The General nodded perceptibly, hiding his excitement over the situation. He could see that Major Carter was eyeing the Xel'nagan exclusively, as though trying to peer into its very soul. It was obvious she was unable to find her answers that way, as her attention turned to Jackson.

Activating the microphone, Daniel Jackson spoke a short phrase to the Xel'nagan. The warriors around it tensed at the unexplained noise, warily eyeing the MALP. The leader, it was obvious that the Xel'nagan before them could be nothing else, gave no reaction.

The Xel'nagan replied, and they both spoke at length. All, save Teal'c, hung on every incomprehensible word, trying to determine the course of their conversation through body language. Hammond couldn't read the alien, not that it made any gestures that might give a hint as to its mood. He could, however, read the body language of his people. At least enough so to realize that they had arrived at the important part. Daniel's face belied his extreme concentration to phrase every line just right, and Teal'c listened on with keen interest.

Raising its voice, the Xel'nagan interrupted Daniel, spoke for a short while, and then walked away.

The first thing Hammond did was look over to Major Carter. He expected some sort of reaction from her at this obvious turning away by the alien. To her credit, the only outward clue to her feelings was the stiffness with which she stood.

Daniel stepped away from the microphone, so the General gave the signal to the technician to shut down the 'gate. It was quite apparent that their dialogue was over. He could not tell how it went, though. While Doctor Jackson did look frustrated, their wasn't utter failure in his features.

"What just happened?" O'Neill was the first to ask.

"I was trying to tell him what happened to Sam and that we needed their help. He cut me off and said that any requests would have to be made to the Council by the one who needs help."

The fact that Doctor Jackson's voice was filled with frustration at not being able to get a straight answer didn't register to the General. He was too surprised by the revelation that the alien hadn't rejected them outright. Hammond had been certain that was just what had happened. It hadn't occurred to him that decorum would cause the alien to refuse to listen to their case on the spot. Of course, that brought up a slight problem.

They would have to send SG-1 to a potentially hostile planet.

"Debriefing in 30 minutes." Hammond announced, allowing time for everyone to gather their thoughts.

*

Daniel hadn't expected the situation that the Xel'nagan had put them in. He was no fool and knew they'd have to go to the planet at some point. But now they'd have to go under questionable circumstances, if they went at all. The alien had just told them that the Council would only hear requests from the one who wanted the help. There was no mention to their actually being invited to the planet, or the reception they might receive if they went there.

It could be implied that by being told that much they were being invited. The assumption would come from an Earth culture view point, and wouldn't necessarily hold true with this other culture. Maybe the Xel'nagan had simply stated a fact, but neglected to mention that they were not welcome to the courtesy.

Daniel and Teal'c were the only ones in the Briefing Room. Sam and Alahn had decided to take the time that the General had given them and clear their heads some. Jack was somewhere around the base, but hadn't said where he was going. Hammond was in his office, and Daniel could see through the window that he was currently on the phone. He had forgotten that higher powers held sway over what they might do next. What had the Joint Chiefs decided to do with the current information?

Hammond put down the phone a few minutes later. After a few moments just sitting at his desk, the General rose and entered the Briefing Room. Daniel just waited for him to talk.

"It turns out the President decided to take my suggestion of confidentiality on this matter. To prevent the NID, or others with questionable interests from attempting anything underhanded, a modified story has been inserted into the records. Major Carter is officially MIA, and Alahn is a refugee that was rescued on a recon mission. Based on this information, the Joint Chiefs have voted to allow a rescue mission to this planet if the risks are deemed appropriate."

"The Joint Chiefs know the truth, though?" Daniel asked.

"Outside of this mountain, the President and Joint Chiefs are the only ones who officially know what's going on. The true records of this situation are being held under the highest security clearance. Since Major Carter is already of interest to certain groups because of prior circumstances, it has been deemed that this will remain unknown to all but a select few of those who are aware of the Stargate." Hammond replied.

That was good. Even if they did get Sam back to normal, there would be those unscrupulous enough to think her experience as a symbiote would be cause enough for confinement and study. Lord knew there were quite a few of that mind just after her experience with Jolinar. Thankfully enough, between Hammond and the President, they were overruled.

It seemed some people were quick to forget that even though Sam had been through some odd experiences, she was still human.

They waited for Jack and Sam to return. Sam was the first to get to the Briefing Room, offering a brief greeting as she arrived, Jack arriving a few short minutes afterwards. Sitting down in their respective seats, they waited for the General to begin. Looking at Sam, Daniel could tell without a doubt that she wanted to go to the planet, despite the possible risks. And, if Sam wanted to go into such a potentially dangerous situation, then Alahn must have wanted to, also.

"Doctor Jackson, if you would go into more detail on what just occurred." Hammond requested.

Daniel nodded before talking. "I started off by telling the Xel'nagan that we were peaceful explorers from a planet called Earth, and were enemies of the Gould, just in case the note we sent didn't say what we wanted it to. He asked how we found their planet, and I told him that we were looking for them. He then asked why, so I started to tell him that we needed their help and explained why, and that's when he cut me off. He said that requests can only be made to the entire Council by the one whom it concerns." Daniel told them.

"Major Carter and Alahn would have to go to the planet." Teal'c stated.

"Not alone, they're not." Jack responded instantly.

"Jack, no one's suggesting that anyone go anywhere alone." Daniel chided.

"People." Hammond spoke in a firm voice, cutting off any further argument on the subject.

Everyone involved had the decency to look scolded.

"Ever occur to you that this is some sort of trap?" Jack tossed up.

"How so?" Daniel immediately wondered.

"What if they don't believe that we don't work for the Gould?"

That was a good question, had the Xel'nagans ever seen a human that wasn't in service to the "gods"?

"My presence may make things more difficult. The Xel'nagans may be willing to believe that Humans are not their enemy, but I am jaffa." Teal'c added.

"Considering how fondly the other batch welcomed you..." Jack let his comment trail off, leaving the others to fill in the rest for themselves.

Jaffa had already proven themselves as enemies to the Xel'nagans. While Coumat-Shesh may have been willing to believe that Teal'c had turned against his former masters, the Council may not draw the same conclusion. It would take only one trigger-happy warrior at the 'gate.

"So, you're saying that we should leave Teal'c behind?" Daniel asked. It did seem logical, but they were a team, and Teal'c was a vital piece to that team.

"If they label him as an enemy, just how far do you think we'll get?" Jack returned. "Look, I don't like it either."

Alahn then spoke up. "What if Teal'c doesn't bring his staff, and hides his tattoo? The more people we have that understand Goa'uld, the better."

"I agree. Teal'c is important to this mission. It's a risk to send any of you there, and I believe your best chances are as a team." The General stated.

"Yes, sir. No one on base besides Daniel knows the language well enough, and we can use all the help we can get on that front." Jack stated, though Daniel knew the General was well aware of the facts.

"I'm still not fond of putting all of your lives at risk like this."

"What about weapons?" Alahn asked. "Are we bringing any?"

"We should, even if they're going to be practically useless." Daniel knew he surprised everyone by his words. He always tried to find the peaceful solution.

"Hold the phone. Did our resident talk-first-get-shot-at-later man just propose we bring guns?" Jack wanted to hear his reasoning.

"The Xel'nagans respect warriors. If we go in defenseless it will be a sign that we are weak. Provoking them should be the last thing we do, but looking like complete rollovers will only hurt us." Daniel explained. They had to show the Xel'nagans they were on equal footing if they hoped to get any cooperation from them.

"I take it I will be unarmed, though." Alahn concluded, her tone slightly bitter.

"I don't..." Jack began.

"Daniel already said we're bringing weapons for appearance. Won't it look better if we are all armed, especially me? I'm the one who's asking for their help, after all. If they think I'm weak, then won't that hurt our chances as badly as anything?" Alahn asked. Daniel was aware that she was the last person to want anything to stand in the way.

"She is correct." Teal'c asserted. "If we are to bring weapons, we all should bring weapons."

"Colonel?" Hammond asked, seeking Jack's approval as the team leader.

"I can't think of anything better, sir." Jack replied.

"Before we go through, I can tell them that we are sending four of our warriors to talk with them. That way they shouldn't be as antsy when we do go." Daniel added. It was a precaution. While going unarmed would certainly be a bad idea, going in with weapons unannounced could be just as bad.

"Might want to make sure they want us to come while you're at it." Jack suggested.

Daniel could have scowled at him. That was the whole reason to announcing their intentions. Instead, he decided to humor Jack. "Of course."

"Is that all?" Hammond asked.

"We'll know once we get there, won't we?" Jack responded.

The General didn't look too impressed with his reply.

"You'll head out in two hours. Dismissed."

*

Teal'c fingered the bandana that covered his head and, most importantly, his tattoo. The bandana, aptly enough, was one of Daniel Jackson's. It wasn't the first time he had had to wear a hat of some sort, but it was still uncomfortable for Teal'c. He wasn't used to hiding what he was. It was necessary, and he would put up with any discomfort to help Major Carter return to normal.

The Tau'ri firearm was also awkward. Teal'c had learned how to handle the Tau'ri's weapons long ago, but he still preferred the feel of the staff weapon he had used all of his life. O'Neill had decided that P90s were the weapon of choice for this mission. It was a powerful weapon, certainly, but Teal'c couldn't help but scoff at its size and weight. Compared to a staff weapon, it looked like a toy. It's appearance belied the weapon's true potential, he had seen many jaffa felled by a well-placed shot.

He stood in the 'Gate Room, along with O'Neill and Major Carter. Daniel Jackson remained in the Control Room as the Stargate dialed the Xel'nagans' planet, waiting to send his message before they attempted travel. As the seventh chevron locked and the connection was established, Teal'c watched through the window as Daniel began to speak. Though he couldn't actually hear any of it, Teal'c recognized the brief pauses as a response from someone on the other end, possibly the same Xel'nagan as before.

From his expression, Teal'c could see that the mission was on. As Daniel Jackson came through the large door, O'Neill was quick to question him.

"And?"

"A Xel'nagan by the name of Taldo is waiting for us. He's going to 'oversee' our conduct, and take us to the council." The archaeologist replied.

"A babysitter?" O'Neill spoke with mock indignation.

"It is only wise for them to monitor our actions, O'Neill. Were the situation reversed, we would insist upon similar precautions." Teal'c replied.

Major Carter didn't enter into their banter. Her attention was focused solely on the Stargate, and Teal'c could see the anxiety in her features. He could appreciate what she was going through. This would be the defining moment. Barring some unforeseen event, the Xel'nagans would decide whether Major Carter could be helped or not. Everything depended on what was on the other side of the wormhole.

There was hope, though. If nothing else, the Xel'nagans seemed willing to hear them out. That much easily led to the conclusion that, if the request was reasonable, the Xel'nagans might agree.

"Ready, children?" O'Neill asked, receiving nods and words of varied enthusiasm.

Teal'c stood in the front beside O'Neill. Were something to happen, he might be able to do something to save the lives of Daniel Jackson and Major Carter. More likely he would just die first, but either way he'd do what he could. Stepping through the 'gate, Teal'c prepared himself for whatever might come.

On the other side, Teal'c found that he and O'Neill were in a standoff. No less than eight Xel'nagans held weapons prepared to fire at any provocation. In response, their P90s were also ready. It didn't take a genius to figure out who would win if either side did start something.

The slurping noise behind them heralded the arrival of the other half.

"(We're not here to fight!)" Daniel Jackson immediately spoke out in Goa'uld.

"(So you say.)" one of the Xel'nagan warriors replied, lowering his weapon and standing proudly. Teal'c noticed that this one was different from the others. He had an armlet that was engraved with a picture of a symbiote, yet his voice did not hold the recognizable dual tones.

"(It's the truth.)" Daniel assured.

"Is this going to get ugly, Daniel?" O'Neill questioned, noting that the other warriors had yet to put their weapons aside.

"We're going to have to go first."

O'Neill simply looked at each of his teammates in turn, then gave a slight nod of acceptance. Together, they lowered the muzzles of their P90s to the ground, letting the weapons hang by the straps.

After a moment, the Xel'nagan that had spoken said something in his own language, and the warriors surrounding them took on less threatening postures. One of them, however, didn't look happy about it.

"Kalwea!" Teal'c recognized the word as one that was used when the MALP had first arrived on this planet.

Taldo, Teal'c assumed the one that spoke Goa'uld had to be their contact, glared at the warrior in question.

"Tena kalwea!" the warrior replied to the look, more forcefully.

"Veloa! Goaga dersha!" Taldo commanded.

"Tena..." he began.

"Goaga dersha!" Taldo cut him off, taking a step forward for emphasis.

"Ento." The warrior said in a clipped fashion, lowering his eyes to the ground.

Satisfied with the reply, Taldo looked to them. "(I am Taldo. Come.)"

Teal'c did not inquire into the incident, and he knew Daniel Jackson did not for the same reason, because it was obvious that Taldo would not tell them. The specifics were not important, all they needed to be aware of was their presence obviously grated on some. It might even have grated on all, just only a few were willing to voice it.

With the possibility, Teal'c wondered why they were welcomed at all. What was their Council trying to accomplish? Was it curiosity of these people who would ask for their help? Was it something so simple, yet so binding, as tradition?

The area around the Stargate was similar to that of the previous world they had been to, save the forest had not had the chance to encroach on the device. They followed a footpath. The new growth around the edges suggested that it used to be a much wider path than it was currently. Traffic around the Stargate had obviously been light for quite some time.

Taldo walked in front, paying SG-1 no attention. The rest of the warriors brought up the rear. Teal'c could hear muttered words, and feel eyes raking across his and his companions' backs. Hatred filled the air, and he had no doubt that were Taldo not there they would be dead.

"Daniel, does he have a symbiote?" Major Carter asked in a hushed tone that could barely be heard, hinting towards Taldo. Teal'c could not sense a symbiote, and therefore neither could she. That did not mean that there wasn't one, though, because they had not been able to sense the symbiote in Coumat-Shesh.

"I don't know. He isn't part of the Council, though. He's just taking us to them."

"Anyone else get the distinct impression that a few of our hosts here would be more than happy to acquaint us with our internal organs?" O'Neill added.

"Oh, yeah." Alahn added, peeking slightly over her shoulder. One of the Xel'nagans behind made a barking noise, and Alahn quickly shifted her eyes front.

"There is indeed much hostility to our presence."

"Let's just hope that our good friend here doesn't get tired of us, then." O'Neill suggested.

Teal'c had to agree.

They walked until nightfall, and still had not reached their destination. Teal'c felt the trek in his muscles, but the fatigue was far more apparent on his companions. They were all short of breath as they set camp. A couple Xel'nagans had retreated into the woods, and Teal'c watched as they returned with two deer-like animals between them.

O'Neill came up beside Teal'c, having finished with his tent. "Is that supposed to be dinner?"

"Probably tastes like chicken." Daniel replied as he walked into view, smiling mischievously.

"Just because YOU'RE always so eager to try the local cuisine..." O'Neill started.

"This coming from the man who ate the cake." Daniel Jackson sighed. Teal'c watched as O'Neill reddened slightly at the reference that had almost put him in an early grave.

"Well, they might not be willing to share." Alahn suggested in a hopeful tone.

*

**It could be worse.** Sam responded to Alahn's nervousness. While they were being regarded in a less than welcome way, at least they hadn't been marked for death. Yet, at least. Both sides sat around their own fires, the warriors completely ignoring SG-1.

//But that one,// Alahn turned to face the Xel'nagan in question who had put up the fuss at the 'gate, //isn't one of them.//

Sam knew the point Alahn was making, that one might not stay completely controlled. It was a fact that she was already aware of, but hadn't wanted to think too hard about. They... Sam couldn't finish the thought, her emotions were too strong. Alahn was in control, though she couldn't help but to sit down heavily on a nearby stone as Sam's feelings bombarded her. They both were completely motionless, waiting for the wave to pass.

"You ok?" Daniel's face came into view as he kneeled in front of them. One of his hands lightly grasped Alahn's upper arm, responding to the disease in her features.

"We're fine." Alahn assured him.

"Really?"

"Sam just got a little excited for a moment." She replied with a light smile.

"Oh." Daniel said suddenly as realization dawned on him.

"Yeah."

He cleared his throat and began hesitantly. "I see."

Sam took control and pushed Daniel on his butt as she stood up quickly. "Daniel!"

"What?" Daniel cried out from his undignified position.

"I can't believe you." Sam joked, shaking her head at him.

Then she noticed that the Xel'nagans were staring at her. She couldn't make out their expressions, but she definitely didn't like how they all were looking at her. Her gun was resting by her pack, and Sam keenly missed its comforting weight. Not that it would really be any help to her if she had it in her hand.

Daniel followed her gaze and got up as he saw what had caught her attention.

"What's going on?" the Colonel asked as he came into view, taking note of the sudden silence. Sam didn't take her eyes off of the Xel'nagans, but she could hear him grip his P90 tighter. Another pair of footfalls announced Teal'c's arrival.

No one said a word. Both sides stared down the other expectantly. Even Taldo seemed surprised.

**Stupid.** Sam admonished herself. She hadn't considered for that one second that the Xel'nagans here didn't know that Alahn had a symbiote. The warriors already mistrusted them greatly. Had she just inadvertently destroyed whatever safety they may have had?

//They haven't attacked or anything... yet.// Alahn pointed out.

"What's going on?" Colonel O'Neill finally asked again.

Sam decided it best to keep her mouth shut for the time being.

"I think Sam just surprised them." Daniel explained.

"Bad?"

"I don't know."

Taldo stood up while the warriors remained where they were. He looked at her as he spoke. "Goa'uld."

Sam recoiled at the accusation. Such a stupid mistake, she could have doomed Alahn and her friends with that momentary slip.

"Kiet Goa'uld." Daniel countered.

Taldo's voice raised in response. He and Daniel, with Teal'c soon joining in, were arguing passionately. Though Sam couldn't follow the actual words, she heard the frustration in Daniel's voice, and the conviction in Teal'c's. Her tense muscles began to ache, but she couldn't relax them. She couldn't do anything, not with so much riding on the moment.

The debate finally ended. After a few moments, Taldo relaxed his stance. That one movement let her know that Daniel and Teal'c had been successful on at least some level. Sam finally allowed herself to relax, and turned to Daniel for an explanation.

"He said the Council will decide." Daniel explained.

Her head bobbed slightly as she gave control to Alahn. At that moment Sam wanted to distance herself from the moment as much as possible. Unfortunately, it wasn't very far.

Alahn turned back to the Xel'nagans. All save Taldo were still staring intently at her. It was extremely disconcerting. She quickly looked away. Even though she couldn't see them, Alahn could still feel their eyes burrowing into her. She didn't like the feeling one bit.

After giving Daniel a brief glance, Alahn retreated into one of the tents. The thin layer of canvas didn't seem enough protection against what lay beyond, but was still preferable to actually standing outside. She couldn't help the anxiety that ran through her, and subsequently, Sam. Still thoroughly shocked, she wondered what exactly was going through the minds of the warriors out there?

//They definitely weren't expecting that.//

**Why should they? In their world, the only people with symbiotes are Council members and the Goa'uld.**

//How will the Council react, then?// Alahn asked, worse case scenario racing through her mind.

**Hopefully,** Sam began as everyone in Alahn's scenario was killed, **not like that.**

The sudden noise of the tent zipper opening startled them both. For a moment panic prevailed as they wondered exactly who might be trying to enter. When the silhouette became noticeable, Alahn exhaled in relief. Her cheeks burned as she realized how unfounded her sudden fear had been. They would have heard something to clue them in long before that point.

Daniel's head finally poked through, the rest of him quick to follow. After closing the flap, he sat down on the other sleeping bag.

"Jack divvied up the watches. Considering what just happened, he thought it best that you not take one this time around." Daniel said cautiously, but he didn't need to bother. Sam was more than happy to sit this one out, and Alahn agreed with her emphatically. Being out there, effectively alone, wasn't very appealing.

Alahn just nodded in response, the knowing look Daniel gave them revealing that their reply had been considered a possibility. Of course, Daniel had seen her as she had retreated out of sight. It wouldn't have been very hard for him to put it together.

"I didn't know that they weren't told, or I would have said something."

"What?" They should have known?

"The first talk I had with the Council member, I got far enough in my story to tell him that you had been turned into a symbiote before he cut me out. It was the first thing I said on the matter because it was so important. I didn't know that he wouldn't warn the warriors."

"It doesn't make any sense not to." Alahn stated.

"There must have been some reason."

**Maybe they hoped a slipup like this would do their work for them.** Sam suggested, but Alahn didn't voice the possibility. They were already aware that this could be a trap.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Alahn asked him.

"I don't know. It's too soon to say anything."

Alahn took a deep breath. "I don't think they're going to help."

"You don't know that, though." Daniel was quick to reply.

But what else were they supposed to think? Alahn and Sam both wanted to scream that out at him. Even before the warriors there had known that there was a symbiote among them, they had been less than welcome. The Xel'nagans had something against them for merely being human, which was perfectly understandable with their history. It didn't bode well for their case, even if it did make sense on some level. Why would they even consider helping someone who they only knew of as an enemy in the first place?

"They're obviously willing to listen." He added, seeing in her face the direction her thoughts had turned. "If they thought we were a threat... if they wanted us dead we would already be."

"They do think the Goa'uld are gods. Maybe they just can't kill us outright." Alahn was surprised by how calmly she stated such a horrific notion. Being led like lambs to the slaughter didn't scare her the way she thought it would. The only thing that really hurt was the idea that Daniel, Jack, and Teal'c would die along with them.

"Coumat-Shesh realized that we weren't enemies, their Council is capable of reaching the same conclusion."

"They don't have a reason to." Alahn countered.

"Neither did he."

Alahn mulled it over in her head. Daniel had a point, there was no real reason for Coumat-Shesh to trust them. He could have doomed the rest of his people by giving them the coordinates to this world. And, it wasn't at all unprecedented for a ruling body to have a different agenda than the people beneath it. Maybe, just maybe, they'd have a reason to help.

*

The continuing walk the next day was the most stressful event Daniel had ever been through. Without really thinking about it Daniel, Jack, and Teal'c had formed a human barrier between Sam and Alahn and their warrior escorts. One of them always fell between her and any of the aliens. What only served to make it worse was the warriors acted as though nothing had happened, not even bothering to look at their charge. It made Daniel wonder if they were taking this too far.

Occasionally one of the Xel'nagans would let his mask of indifference slip momentarily, casting away any of his doubts.

As they crested a substantial rise, Daniel and the others froze at what they saw. Jutting out of the valley below was a massive city. Buildings rose high from the ground to which they were rooted, very few corners or points of any sort were visible. A rusty red seemed to be the predominant color, but swaths of greens, blues, and grays could also be seen. From the distance they stood away, which was at least half a mile, hints of sounds wafted. Motion could be seen between the buildings. Daniel lost himself within its depths.

They finally continued down the incline, completely taken aback by the sight before them. Of course they knew there would be some sort of population center, but the sudden reveal of the city, as though it were growing before their eyes, had been something none of them had been prepared for. Aside from the temple, they hadn't had a chance to see what these people were capable of making.

Daniel felt his apprehension rising the closer they got. He wasn't sure what to expect now. How would the other Xel'nagans react to their presence. Were they even aware that offworlders were coming? Part of Daniel, the part that loved to observe and study other cultures, wanted to see what would happen. He wanted to see the structure of their society in action so he could better understand their people. The rest of him just hoped that no further complications would plague them.

Arriving at the outskirts of the city, Daniel was shocked by what he saw. The skeptical look he saw Jack give made him realize he wasn't the only one who saw something wrong with what was before them. It was a twisted combination of technology and archaic practices that didn't make any sense. A container that had a shell-like shape hovered a few feet off the ground. It was about 10 feet tall and slightly longer, with two Xel'nagans pushing it along through the air. Even though it floated they still had to contend against inertia and friction with the air. Their exertions were obvious.

The two were dressed far differently than the warriors that escorted SG-1. Instead of kilts they wore loincloths and wore a metal shoulder pad on their right shoulder, which was the one that pushed against the container. Daniel realized that their paths were going to intersect, and wondered how the conflict of interests would be dealt with. The laborers saw the approaching group and stopped short of getting in the warriors way. It was only after this that they noticed the humans, and Daniel watched as they were given curious stares.

It didn't really come as a surprise when the warriors didn't even look in the laborers' direction.

"Slaves?" Alahn asked.

"The worker caste, I'd imagine." Daniel replied.

The most disturbing part of it all was, since they obviously had the technology, why didn't they just put a drive system on the container as well? The technology must have existed, so why make them work harder than they needed to? But that wasn't what they were there for. It would hardly do to start criticizing the Xel'nagans way of life if they wanted to get any help from them.

Entering the city, they saw all manners of Xel'nagans walking the street. It was difficult to tell with the loose robes and the difference between species, but Daniel thought that he might have seen a female. She looked no less rugged than any other Xel'nagan they had seen, but something was different. Thin chains wrapped around each tentacle that fell from her head, jingling with each step. Her blue robes kept going even as she stopped, floating with her previous momentum. Daniel watched her watch him, until she apparently deemed the spectacle before her something she didn't want a part of and continued on.

Obviously clothing was used to represent station, but Daniel could only guess what caste each one was. Workers, both adult and juvenile, were the most common sight. A group of worker children were running about the street with sticks carved in the shape of the warriors' weapons. They fought each other with youthful exuberance, occasionally landing blows that were very obviously not checked.

Jack grumbled as they got closer, the violent mock-battle gaining detail. Daniel watched as the other man squinted his eyes with each connected hit. It was obvious what was going through Jack's head at the moment, there was way too much enthusiasm being shown by both sides. The Xel'nagans continued about the street, paying the fighting no mind.

One particularly well-placed blow sent one of the competitors spiraling to the ground.

"Enough's enough." Jack stated with irritation, making to break from the procession.

"Jack." Daniel grabbed his sleeve.

"Interference will do no good, O'Neill." Teal'c cautioned.

Jack didn't look at all convinced. Before he could react, though, the children had seen the group of warriors approaching. Immediately the play stopped and the one that had knocked down his rival came forth. Respect burned in the child's eyes as he said a few hesitant words to Taldo.

Taldo's reply pleased the child immensely, and he stood proud as the warriors continued past.

"They get rewarded for that sort of thing?" Jack speculated incredulously.

"I don't know what that was about, it could be a different matter entirely." Daniel replied.

"Well, no one seemed in a rush to end that little show we just had."

"It is not our mission to change their culture, O'Neill." Teal'c warned.

"Hey, from what Daniel's already told us about these guys, they sure could use some change." Jack returned.

"Do you really think that they would listen to us, though?" Alahn asked rhetorically. "The only thing we could possibly do is make things worse."

Jack didn't seem to have a reply for that one, and he begrudgingly let the topic drop.

*

Alahn shifted on the seat she had claimed. After being ushered through the city to a building occupying the center, Taldo had dumped them in a large antechamber, where they now currently waited. He had then confiscated their weapons. Despite its size, the room was almost completely devoid of accessories of any sort. Two pillars jutted up from the center of the room carved with intricate designs that none of them could interpret. The walls, aside from being the rusty red color they saw throughout the city, were empty. In fact, the seat Alahn used was no more than a large window sill.

They had already been waiting for quite a while, and something told Alahn that it wasn't about to change soon. She had to wonder whether it was customary to be made to wait so long, or if the situation came from their being unwelcome.

**It's obvious that they don't want us here.**

//They're not going to help us.// Alahn replied.

**They have no reason to.** Sam agreed. Their welcome had certainly done nothing to change their minds that the Xel'nagans probably weren't going to be of any help to them.

"Ahg, my butt's fallen asleep." The Colonel suddenly said, breaking the silence.

They all turned to look at him, but no one reacted to his attempt at comic relief.

Daniel shook his head and continued to study the pillar he stood beside. Alahn continued to watch the Colonel as he gave a look of defeat. "No?"

Alahn shook her head. Humor was something that she definitely couldn't accept right then. She was certain that she and Sam were on the verge of losing any hope they had, and there was absolutely nothing funny about that.

"Well, it ain't right to keep a fella waiting for," the Colonel looked down at his watch to verify the time, "over three hours."

"The Goa'uld are known to keep envoys waiting as long as possible to dull their mind when the meeting does take place." Teal'c said.

"But, Teal'c, the Xel'nagans aren't Gould." Daniel immediately countered.

"Their origins are the Goa'uld. It is not easy for a group built on such foundations to turn so firmly against their beginnings."

"The Tok'ra did." Daniel said.

"The Tok'ra," Teal'c began, "are not without their own problems."

Daniel didn't want to give up. "They are enemies of the Gould, Teal'c."

"All Goa'uld are enemies, even among themselves."

"So, T, you think they're Gould?" the Colonel asked.

"I do not discount the possibility of great similarities in conduct."

Sam really didn't want to hear that. But then, Coumat-Shesh had specifically asked them to not reveal his existence. It wasn't a good sign when a group could be rejected for being captured instead of killed in battle. SG-1 had been captured so many times that if that were the case on Earth they would have been outcasts dozens of times over.

Were they really a people to be attempting relations with in their current state?

//If they'll help us out, who cares?// Alahn returned.

**If they're really that similar to the Goa'uld... I couldn't just condone their actions like that.** Sam stated.

//Condone? What does that have to do with anything? We wouldn't be telling them that what they do is right or wrong.// Alahn was starting to get frustrated.

**It would be implied.**

//Imply whatever you want. But, if these guys did agree to help us, and you don't like how they do things around here, would you really refuse?//

**I...**

Alahn warned her. //They ARE our last chance.//

**I would.**

//Well, I wouldn't.//

"Hey, you all right?" Alahn looked up to see Daniel staring at her.

"Yeah." She couldn't suppress the hint of anger that laced her words.

"Woah there, tiger." The Colonel responded. "It was just a question."

But her anger hadn't been directed at Daniel. She just couldn't believe that after everything Sam would be able to just turn away so easily. Where would that leave her? After everything in Alahn's life had been turned upside down, Sam could just sit there and say "no thank you?"

**You know I can leave, and if it comes to that, I will.** Sam warned her.

//But that's not how I want it to end!//

"Carter! Alahn!" Alahn snapped back to reality with the Colonel shaking her shoulders softly. Her first reaction was to struggle, which only made him hold on tighter. "Hey, hey, hey."

"Let go." Alahn said.

"Calm down." He returned.

"Please."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing that concerns you." She said, knowing full well it wouldn't be enough to deter him. Teal'c and Daniel looked on, equally unfazed.

Sam took over, with Alahn's consent. "Could you just drop it?" she said, adding a belated "sir."

"What's going on?" Daniel asked, coming forward.

"This is between us, ok?"

"What is?" Colonel O'Neill continued.

Alahn willed them to shut up and go away, but apparently they weren't listening. So what if Sam wasn't willing to deal with these guys if they turned out to be something other than what Coumat-Shesh had said. That wasn't their business, especially when she and Alahn had yet to figure it out for themselves. Alahn didn't care, she just wanted this whole mess to be over. Erased. The only way for that to happen would be for Sam to return to normal. Just having her leave wasn't good enough, it would always leave Alahn with the disturbing reminder that, while she may have gotten her wish, someone else would still be suffering.

//So, what about what I want?// Alahn asked.

**I just don't know.** Sam wasn't sure what they should do, whose choice to follow. **It might not come to that, though. Teal'c was just saying that the possibility was there, not that it was true, or most likely true.**

//But what if it IS true? What would we do then? I want to, you don't want to. Who wins?//

"Please, sir, can you just give us some space to figure this out?" Sam asked, unable to divide her attention.

He thought it over for a few minutes. "We'll discuss it later, whatever 'it' is?"

Alahn agreed and Sam nodded. Anything to get them off their backs for a little while.

**So what do we do?** Sam wondered herself.

//There isn't a compromise for this sort of situation.// Either they did, or they didn't. But which would it be, if the situation came to pass? She was willing to go through with any decision that Alahn wanted, but not if these Xel'nagans were trying to throw them for a loop. Collaborating with the Goa'uld or those with similar goals just wasn't something she'd let herself do.

**Why does what will happen to me matter so much to you? How come my staying this way is so intolerable?**

Alahn hadn't really thought about it herself, mostly because it was something she didn't want to think about. The whole idea of the situation not being completely resolved didn't settle well with her. Sam moving on to another person might solve Alahn's problems, but she wouldn't be able to forget that Sam was still the way she was. It was an idea that distressed Alahn to think about. While the circumstances weren't ideal, she had come to think of Sam as a friend. She needed an absolute ending. A happy one. Anything else just wouldn't do.

Sam immediately felt guilty for asking, knowing that Alahn couldn't give her an answer.

**Maybe, even if it does come to it, this won't be our last chance.** she offered lamely.

//Maybe.// Sam didn't believe that there'd be anything after this, and neither did Alahn.

*

The distress on Alahn's face was still plainly evident. It seemed that whatever it was that she and Major Carter had wished to discuss without interruption from O'Neill or any of them still remained unsolved. Teal'c knew that his previous words were somehow the cause of the problem, though the exact path their thoughts took them remained a mystery.

Teal'c's pondering was brought to a halt when the large doors that lead to their final destination opened to let Taldo through. The brief glimpse of the interior told them as little as their first sight when Taldo disappeared earlier after telling them they would have to wait. All that Teal'c could tell was that the next room was well lit, while the one they were currently in depended on the large windows near the ceiling for light.

They all stood up at Taldo's presence and approached.

"(The Council is now prepared to see you.)" Taldo informed them.

"We may now enter." Teal'c said for O'Neill's and Alahn's benefit.

"It's about time!" O'Neill commented.

"Um, Jack, maybe if you could keep the comments to yourself from here. They may not understand what you're saying but the tone might translate well enough." Daniel Jackson suggested.

"Got it." O'Neill gave the 'a-ok' sign. Teal'c still thought the symbol was ridiculous as when O'Neill had first shown it to him.

Daniel shook his head but followed Taldo as he reopened the door. Teal'c brought up the rear of the group, just behind Alahn. She stopped just before crossing the threshold to the next room. The walls within glinted a metallic silver, sharply contrasting with the room they were leaving. Teal'c could make out a large curved rise which six Xel'nagans sat behind, obviously the Council. A warrior stood rigidly behind each one.

"Here's hoping." Alahn said to herself.

"Indeed." Teal'c replied. As the time drew nearer he was beginning to feel an apprehension he never felt outside the heat of battle. He felt he knew Alahn and Major Carter would be feeling it much more strongly. Alahn turned and Teal'c could see the nervousness in her eyes. With a ghost of a smile on his lips, Teal'c bowed his head to her. He couldn't do much for either of them at the moment, so he tried to convey all the courage he could.

With an equally faint smile, Alahn continued through the door with Teal'c not far behind.

Taldo ushered them to the middle of the open room. The only seats within were the ones for the council, the rest of the area was completely open. Looking up at the Council, Teal'c could make out the vacant seat in the center. He also noticed the glaring difference between the Council members on both sides. The one they had seen at the Stargate sat on the left, and the two beside him wore similar clothing. The three members on the right side wore flowing robes of earthy colors.

There was a separation there that was impossible to miss. Something about the way they sat told Teal'c that the division went far beyond physical. The air was tense, promising disaster at the slightest provocation. Even what they had seen on the streets and heard from Daniel Jackson didn't show the animosity between warriors and scientists as the simple scene before him did. Though only separated by feet, Teal'c felt the two sides could almost be worlds apart.

"Anyone else feel a chill in here?" O'Neill asked. Teal'c knew that O'Neill spoke of the same tenseness that he felt.

Motioning for them to remain still, Taldo took a few steps towards the large dais that the Council sat upon. Bowing his head, Taldo ran his fists together and brought them sharply to his chest in a salute. "(Now and for all time I follow the wisdom of the Council. Respectfully I bring before you the outsiders who wish your ear.)"

The Councilmember that had been at the 'gate stood up. "(You do your family great honor, Taldo.)" Teal'c could only look on with surprise as the voice of the symbiote changed to that of the host. "(The Council acknowledges your faithfulness.)"

O'Neill turned in their direction and gave a questioning look, but did not speak. Teal'c could offer him no answers. Even among the Tok'ra they had never seen control swapped so readily.

"(You are most generous, Honored Gaor-Diq.)" Taldo replied, lowering his hands and looking up.

"(Let us conclude this business already, Honored Gaor-Diq. We have no need for such idle banter at this hour.)" The host of one of the Council Members from the other side responded.

"(Honored Xyshokana-Esan, perhaps you forget the decorum for such events?)" Goar-Diq's symbiote suggested.

"(I remember perfectly well. Taldo is a respected warrior and a faithful servant of this Council. He need not be bathed in the fact.)" Xyshokana-Esan's symbiote countered.

"(This is the system left to us by Kintari-Tralik. Are you somehow above this?)" the former's host asked.

Teal'c couldn't believe that the Xel'nagans were in such deterioration that such conflict could arise without even getting to the issue of the offworlders. Such a moot matter as honorifics was stirring more commotion than their existence in that room. It was as though they had forgotten about the humans that now stood among them. Teal'c didn't like how things were shaping up at all.

One of the other robed Councilmembers stood, speaking loudly in the dual tones of the symbiote. "(Honored Gaor-Diq, Honored Xyshokana-Esan, stay this conflict. We are here for other matters.)" When Gaor-Diq took his seat, and it was apparent that neither were going to continue, the Xel'nagan than turned to them. "(Callers, our mandate is to hear all those who wish word with the Council. We await.)"

Daniel Jackson turned to the team. "It's our turn now."

"What the hell just happened?" O'Neill immediately asked.

"Explanations are best left for another time, O'Neill." Teal'c cautioned. Too much 'idle banter' in front of the Council may cause problems.

He obviously didn't like the idea, but recognized the wisdom in Teal'c's words. Reluctantly, O'Neill nodded.

"Hopefully they'll let me speak for you since you don't know Gould." Daniel Jackson told Alahn.

"Yeah."

Stepping forward, Daniel Jackson cleared his throat. "(We thank you for hearing us. We come here because our friend needs help and we think you might be able to... assist her.)"

"(If your friend is the one who requires our aid then why doesn't she ask for it?)" The Xel'nagan asked.

"(My friend is unable to speak this language.)" Daniel replied.

The Councilmember turned his gaze to Alahn, who shifted uncomfortably but held his stare, though she didn't know why he looked at her. Teal'c watched the display and was proud when she didn't back down. Apparently satisfied, the Xel'nagan turned back to Daniel Jackson. "(Continue.)"

"(We are peaceful travelers who explore the galaxy through the Stargate. We discovered a planet with a large pyramid...)"

"(Viadora.)" One of the warrior Councilors stated, the host speaking. "(You gained access to the Temple of Transformation?)"

"(We did.)" Daniel Jackson replied cautiously, sensing the same urgency in the Xel'nagan's words that Teal'c did. "(That's why we come to you for help. We explored the pyramid because we thought it was abandoned. My friend touched the statue and was turned into a symbiote.)"

He didn't have a chance to continue as all of the Councilors began talking at once, some standing. Teal'c couldn't make out anything in their shouting but the outrage. Immediately he missed the presence of his weapon. It seemed that they would soon need to defend themselves and were without the means to.

One of the warrior Councilors shouted the others into silence. The host turned to them demanding answers. "(What of Niethul?)"

Teal'c knew they spoke of the Xel'nagan that they had encountered in the pyramid. From the way Daniel Jackson's face paled at the words, he knew as well. Things were already fragile enough, what would happen if they admitted to killing him, even if it was out of ignorance. Something told Teal'c that they wouldn't be very forgiving with such a technicality.

"(Who is Niethul?)" Daniel asked. He was trying to get more information, to stall for time to come up with something. What he could come up with, Teal'c didn't know. Lying wasn't an option, not if they wanted to build something with these people. Unless outside forces were at play then Niethul's corpse still lay rotting in the room where Teal'c had shot him. There was no way they could hide that fact.

Gaor-Diq's symbiote responded. "(He is to become the next High Councilor. Niethul awaits preserved at the temple for the Chosen to complete his training. If your friend was turned then he was awakened. What have you done with Niethul?)"

"Teal'c?" Daniel Jackson said.

"We cannot lie, Daniel Jackson."

"About what?" Alahn asked.

"The Xel'nagan in the pyramid. His name was Niethul."

"From the way they're acting, I don't think 'sorry, we killed one of your guys' is going to work out very well for us." O'Neill stated.

"We cannot lie, O'Neill. When they return to the pyramid his corpse will still remain." Teal'c said.

"This is not turning out so hot." He replied.

The Xel'nagan's angry stare continued, demanding an answer. Teal'c took in the composure of his friends, all as equally certain that they wouldn't like what was to come. He was not surprised to see guilt in Alahn's features. Since SG-1 came to the Xel'nagan's planet because of them, Teal'c knew it was easy for Major Carter and Alahn to blame themselves for whatever was to come. O'Neill longed as much for his weapon as Teal'c did, and shifted anxiously as a result. Daniel Jackson was attempting to collect himself to continue.

The host of the Xel'nagan that had previously brought about order spoke. "(A question has been posed to you. Answer.)"

"(Everything was happening at once. Our friend had disappeared and... Niethul suddenly appeared. We were defending ourselves as far as we knew.)"

"(You killed him?)" Gaor-Diq asked.

"(In self-defense. We were just trying to protect ourselves.)" Daniel emphasized.

The shouting started again. Teal'c could make out several Council members calling for their deaths while the rest were arguing among themselves. Despite everything all they could do was stand there and wait for whatever was to come.

"(Quiet!)" The previous Xel'nagan's symbiote bellowed. Slowly the din died down.

"(Honored Malo-Sentat, we must...)" Gaor-Diq began.

"(We must nothing! These outsiders came here in good faith. They confessed to the crime and claim it was not in cold blood. Had they viciously murdered Niethul they could simply not have come here, yet they actively sought us out.)" Malo-Sentat stated.

"(You don't suggest that we do nothing?)"

"(No, I merely suggest that the matter must be considered at a greater length before concluding anything. To that end, I believe we should adjourn for the time being and reflect on the current circumstances.)"

"(Very well,)" Gaor-Diq allowed. "(Taldo, take these to the holding room.)"

Without a word, Taldo began to usher SG-1 out even as the Council members continued to argue.

"So, where are we being taken?" O'Neill asked.

"Jail." Daniel Jackson said.

"What's going to happen?" Alahn wondered.

"They have yet to decide." Teal'c said.

*

Jail was an apt description for the room they were taken to. Somewhere below the Councilor's building, the walls were made of stone. The metal door completely blocked their view of the outside. Jack had to admit it was the best lit prison he had ever been kept in, and the cell was clean enough. All things considered they were being kept in a pretty decent place. After Daniel had told them that they had killed the future High Councilor, Jack was surprised they weren't dead already.

Whether that would remain the case had yet to be seen. They still had all of their supplies while they waited for the verdict. Considering how long they had to wait the first time, Jack wondered how long they'd be kept there. While it may have been more or less sanitary, it wasn't the largest room he'd ever been in. Maybe 20 feet by 20 feet.

"Cozy." He commented, tapping on the wall.

"The door is secure." Teal'c informed them after testing it. They had all heard it lock after they were put inside, but he didn't expect Teal'c to leave out any possibilities.

"Even if it wasn't, where would we go?" Daniel asked.

Jack had to wonder about that. The only humans, because Teal'c was just another human as far as they were concerned, on an alien planet wouldn't stand a chance of getting out of a city without being seen. Leaving the building itself was probably impossible. Nope, they weren't going anywhere. Not unless someone wanted them to, that is.

Noticing that one of his team had yet to put her word in on the situation, Jack found that Alahn was leaning against the far corner. Her eyes were distant, completely oblivious. He knew basically where Carter's thoughts would be taking her and decided to not allow her or Alahn to brood any longer. The fact that they weren't condemned right off meant there was still some hope left.

"You'll have to accept dimes, afraid I'm fresh out of pennies." Jack said after approaching.

"Huh?" Alahn returned to the moment and looked at him quizzically.

"What's on your mind?"

"Things aren't going so well." Alahn commented.

There weren't many ways to respond to that statement. "Nope. Could be better. Could be worse, too."

He watched her head drop, and the distortion told him that Carter was now talking. "Not only is this mission turning into a momentous failure, I get to take you all out with me."

"Jesus, Carter. We wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you!" Jack stated, referring to all the times she had played an instrumental part in getting them all out of one tight situation or another.

"We wouldn't be HERE if it weren't for me." She countered stubbornly.

"We're a team, Carter. We go through everything together, regardless."

"He's right, Sam." Daniel added.

"We would never abandon you in your time of need." Teal'c said with a nod.

"Still doesn't change the fact that everyone's deaths will hang on my shoulders."

"Never say die." Jack didn't know what else to say. He meant what he said though, even if it was a gross cliche.

"Yeah, Sam. It isn't over until it's over, and like Jack said, we're all in this together and we wouldn't have it any other way."

She smiled wryly. "I still don't like the idea of everyone dying."

"Yeah," Jack agreed with a pleasant smile, "that would really suck, wouldn't it? So, let's see if we can keep that from happening."

Not that they could really do much. These guys seemed to have a hard enough time listening to each other, much less offworlders. Teal'c and Daniel had relayed everything that the Council had said, and Jack was quite surprised that most of it was bickering. Not so surprised that it was between the two factions though. And lucky them, they got to arrive just as everything was seriously falling apart. They'd just have to see what came of it.

At the moment they were prisoners. What amazed Jack the most was that at least one of the Xel'nagans was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. That Mellow dude was their chance. Apart from being willing to see where they were coming from, the alien appeared to hold considerable weight. Despite the arguments, the warriors went along with what he said. For now, at least.

"Well, looks like we're settled in for the night, if not longer." Jack concluded. "Let's set up sleeping areas. We'll just have to do without the campfire."

*

Some things never changed, Daniel mused. Despite being in a prison cell, Jack had still insisted upon watches. There was nothing that the person on watch could do, except warn everyone that the door was opening. That really didn't help matters much. The only purpose it really had was giving Jack a sense of control that he didn't currently possess. Actually, Daniel had to admit that did make him feel a little better, too. It was better than just lying there waiting for the other shoe to drop. Not much better, but it was something.

Of course, it did mean that Daniel got to sit up all alone. There was plenty on his mind to keep him occupied, though. The conflict between the warriors and scientists of the Xel'nagans was as strong as ever by the looks of things. It wasn't good for their case. Daniel had hoped that the struggle would have been dying down, hopefully the scientists on top. The warriors were too stuck in tradition to help them out, that much was for certain. And the scientists couldn't very well do anything to help them unless they had the power to do so. Right now they didn't seem to have that power. The Council may have been split evenly between warriors and scientists, but he had seen the Xel'nagans in the city streets, and there the warriors ruled.

How could they be so blind. The warriors had been unsuccessful in turning back Terak's attack on 2 of their planets, and yet they still insisted upon everything remaining as it always had been. It wasn't right, no one should put their honor above the lives of their own people. The Xel'nagans were ripe for destruction, and they didn't seem to care.

Sighing softly at the frustration he was building in himself, Daniel realized why he really didn't like to be sitting up all alone. There were way too many negative things going on for his thoughts to run on a pleasant course. Not much he could do about it, though. They were stuck in this cell, and would remain so until the Council reconvened. When that happened they'd be at their mercy, like they were now. Begging was the only option they had, and that didn't mean very much.

A rustling caused Daniel to look over and see that Sam and Alahn were awake, and staring back at him. "Can't sleep?"

"Not really." Sam responded. She sat up and scooted her sleeping bag beside him, using it as a cushion against the hard floor.

"Yeah." Daniel had third watch and had found his sleep to be very light and not so restorative himself.

"How can everything still be going from bad to worse?" she wondered idly.

He had to think about that one, too. They were due for a lucky break, weren't they? "It isn't over yet, there's still hope."

Sam scoffed. "You're right. We MAY get out of this alive and somehow get back to Earth. If we're lucky there will be another lead. And one after that."

"Sam." Daniel wished that he had a response that wasn't completely lame, but he couldn't think of anything. Same troubles, same arguments, same replies. He didn't know whether or not everything would work out. Hell, he didn't even know if they'd survive this encounter, so what was there to say that wouldn't be a lie but would still improve Sam's mood somehow?

"No, Daniel, I can't. This has gone on so long I don't remember what it's like to be human anymore." Her voice hitched as she spoke. Daniel felt his chest tighten with her confession. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and got rid of the few inches there had been between them. The tenseness of her muscles told Daniel that she was fighting against an urge to cry. With their current surroundings, he didn't begrudge her.

*

It was only a couple hours after they had all awoken that SG-1 was taken back to the Council. Daniel had been surprised by the promptness, but none more so than Jack. Taldo and two other warriors escorted them back to the Council Chamber. It was silent within as they entered. The stares they received, especially from the warrior side, were less than promising.

Daniel took the silence as a chance to truly take everything in. He knew if Gaor-Diq had his way that they would be dead already, and the other warriors seemed to completely agree with him. While Malo-Sentat had advocated for them not to be so hasty in their decision, he never actually said he was for SG-1. For all Daniel knew he could want their deaths just as much as anyone else there. The other scientists were equally ambiguous in their appearance, he couldn't tell which way they were leaning from just looking.

For a brief moment he wondered why these were the only two casts apparently on the Council. Perhaps while they disagreed with each other's principles, both agreed that the likes of the workers should have no voice in their ranks. He didn't like that conclusion, and hoped that there was some other explanation, not that it really mattered to them at the moment.

Malo-Sentat stood. "(It must be decided what to do with these outsiders. They admit to killing Niethul, but in the assumed preservation of their own lives.)"

"(There is nothing to be decided, they should die.)" Gaor-Diq commented, his dual tones final.

"(Do you believe in no sanctity of life save your own?)" the third scientist commented, the symbiote speaking.

"(Perhaps, Begnaish-Urmei, you fail to recognize that the search for another vessel must begin, and the council will remain incomplete even longer than it already has.)"

"(Their deaths will not change that fact, so it is a poor basis for your decision.)" The host replied.

"(I see. You feeble scientists would wish to let them get away without punishment for their actions. Maybe you even think of going against the highest law left by Kintari-Tralik and help them in their endeavor.)"

Begnaish-Urmei arose at the accusation. "(They should be punished, but not how and why you claim. We do have laws, as you so often remind us. According to these laws there is a difference between murder and self-defense. And you twist his words. Our predecessor said we shall never take on a second host, not that we could not return to our natural forms.)"

Gaor-Diq also got out of his seat. "Retulga!"

The cry was followed by a strong punch aimed for Begnaish-Urmei's head, which was stopped by a two-handed block. Daniel was surprised to see no one move to break up the fight, even the warriors that stood behind the Council. Gaor-Diq went for a rib punch with another hand, and that was also blocked. With all his hands busy, Gaor-Diq attacked with his third arm, hitting Begnaish-Urmei in the stomach. The force of the blow doubled him over, but while Gaor-Diq thought he had the upper hand, he wasn't prepared for the shoulder in the stomach that dropped them both to the ground.

"What the hell is going on?" Jack asked.

They could only hear the grunts of the fight as the two continued to slug it out behind the rise. The only thing the other Council members did was to back off and give them room.

"I don't know." Daniel replied.

"Well, can't you ask or something?"

"(What are they doing?)" Daniel asked Taldo.

"(They have insulted each other. Honored Gaor-Diq called a challenge.)"

The two contestants were back on their feet, black blood oozing from various wounds, clothes torn. They continued to fight, and Daniel wondered when it would end.

"(Is the fight to the death?)"

"(I suspect that depends on who wins.)"

Daniel didn't like the sound of that. Begnaish-Urmei was slowing down, while Gaor-Diq seemed far less affected by his wounds. He needed to do something, but there was nothing to do. How could everyone just stand there when they knew that one of their own was going to die? And he had no doubts that Gaor-Diq would kill his opponent were he to win. The hatred that reflected in his eyes, even at the distance that Daniel stood from him, promised no less.

They both looked at each other for a moment, a temporary reprieve in the fight. No one made a sound, though Daniel knew that the others desperately wanted to know what was happening.

"(Do you really think you can win?)" Gaor-Diq asked, his host bemused.

"(This proves nothing.)"

"(You have insulted me. Your ilk has dishonored our people. There is nothing to prove.)"

"(Xel'naga is lost to us because of YOUR ilk!)" Begnaish-Urmei countered.

A raw nerve was struck. "(We will get it back!)"

"(You will not get back Xel'naga for the same reason it was taken in the first place. NOTHING has changed. As long as you have your way, nothing WILL change!)"

Instead of a verbal answer, Gaor-Diq moved so fast that he was almost a blur. His opponent had no chance to counter, his hand moving with lethal force. Begnaish-Urmei collapsed to his knees, clutching his crushed windpipe. Gurgling was plainly audible as he tried to force breaths that wouldn't come. Daniel and the rest could only listen as he fell to the floor, his remaining life slowly ebbing away.

Silence dominated as everyone stared at Gaor-Diq, surprise evident only on the part of SG-1. The remaining scientists looked on with contempt while their guards, including the one whose charge was now dead, came closer with their weapons ready. The other guards took similar precautions.

Ignoring them, Gaor-Diq turned to Taldo. "(Confiscate their possessions and return them to confinement. Their deaths will be public.)"

Taldo and his warriors approached. Jack started to bring up his weapon, but thought better of it. There were enough warriors on their level to beat them in a fight, and then there were the guards on top to contend with. Daniel watched as he reluctantly allowed his weapon to be taken along with his pack.

"Not good?" Jack asked.

"No."

*

Ten warriors stood by the inactive Transportation Circle. Faros almost had to laugh at the abundance of guards for something that hadn't been used in over a generation, and never by anyone other than the Xel'nagans. It had seemed ridiculous to him ever since he had become a true warrior. The rumors of recent arrivals seemed to change that, though. He had heard tale of aliens in the city, but hadn't seen them himself. Until being recalled to guard duty he had been in the flatlands with a group of trainees for their rite of passage. The only excitement they were likely to see in quite a while and he had missed it.

A noise in the forest behind him made Faros turn around. Telia, the messenger could be seen approaching. She had a reserved look on her face.

"Hail, Telia, what brings you? We still have many days before our watch at the Circle ends." Faros asked. The other warriors listened on with curiosity.

"There was an honor duel in the Council this morning. Honored Gaor-Diq killed Honored Begnaish-Urmei."

Only two other times had there been an honor duel among the members of the council, neither of them within Faros' lifetime. It wasn't unprecedented, but certainly shocking as they were already one member short. The Chosen High Councilor was still training, and he knew Honored Begnaish-Urmei's adept was not ready to assume his roll. Their leadership was dwindling, not that it had been able to do much with the deadlock between the scientists and the warriors who made it up.

"What was Honored Begnaish-Urmei thinking? He couldn't have hoped to beat a warrior in battle." Misho, another of the warriors, stated. He was condemned from the beginning of the fight. There were dozens of ways to kill in one move, and Honored Gaor-Diq knew them all, along with how to counter them.

"This is not good for the Council." Faros stated.

"It is one less scientist that must be dealt with." Misho replied. He, like most warriors, had no patience for the scientists' claims. Faros, on the other hand, saw the wisdom in their goals. Obviously something was wrong as things were if they lost two of their own worlds and had yet to even attempt a recovery.

He couldn't openly say it, though.

A heavy sound of power from the Circle got everyone's attention. The lights began to activate one by one.

"Prepare yourselves!" Faros ordered, readying his weapon.

All the warriors created a semi-circle around the Transportation circle, weapons aimed at the center as the event horizon shot forth and formed into a shimmering pool. Nothing happened for quite some time and none of them knew what to make of it. The watery surface remained unbroken until a small sphere came through and hit the ground. Faros could see the lights on it as it rolled, and immediately he fired at the device, several warriors following suite. The device was completely pulverized, the energy turning into nothing more than a gob of metal.

After it came short creatures with two arms and lots of armor. The tattoos on their heads and the weapons they carried instantly identified them as servants of the gods. Faros didn't dwell on the fact, instead focusing on shooting them as fast as he could. For a while the tide was held back, but the attackers would often manage a shot or two before they were taken down. Faros' warriors began to fall to the attackers. He knew they wouldn't be able to hold the Circle. Using a free hand, Faros pressed a symbol on his shoulder, sending a signal back to those in the city that the Circle had fallen under attack. They would have some warning, at least.

One of the last warriors still standing, several shots laid Faros on the ground. Something vital had been hit because he couldn't move to continue the fight to his last breath. All he could do was look up at the darkening night sky. A bolt of fire shot down, headed towards the city. Several more shots hit, sounding like thunder as they ripped through the sky.

Then a voice filled the air, seeming to emanate from the sky itself. It spoke in Xel'nagan. "You thought you could walk beside the gods. I, Tralik, will make you suffer greatly for this heresy."

TBC


	7. Frenzy

Legacy of the Xel'naga 7: Frenzy

Author: Confushi Sushi

Email: confushi_

Rating: PG13 (just to be safe)

Spoilers: None for this one... I think.

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst

Pairing(s): none in this part

Season: Looking like sometime late 3rd, maybe 4th

Summary: The Goa'uld are at the gate (literally and figuratively), and SG-1 is blamed.

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back, I swear.

A/N: I was out of commission for like... EVER. Amazing what 18 credits can do to ones sanity. Anyway, this is the second to last installment, and it shouldn't take nearly as long for the rest to come out (if I have any say). So, one final part after this, and then the prologue/epilogue. The way it will be written I think it can be read before the rest of the story, or after you've finished reading the other parts (set several hundred years before), and it should provide some interesting hindsight/things to keep in mind as you continue. That's what I'm hoping for at least. Bottom line, I have every intention of finishing this story, even if I have to type with my feet after a horrible pedestrian accident... And once again we all love my beta, the queen. Thanks for all of your feedback, it gives me a happy squishy feeling.

*

Jack reeled momentarily as the ground suddenly shook. It wasn't strong, and was gone almost as quick as it had started.

"What the hell was..." the rest of his question was drowned out as the building truly began to shake. It had been hit... by something.

Teal'c was the only one who remained standing after the second wave, though he did have the grace to look disheveled. The others were scattered in various degrees of disarray on the ground. Jack got back to his feet as fast as possible, eyeing the ceiling dubiously. It looked normal, but the last thing they needed was for it to come down on them with the door securely locked.

Everyone looked around the room for several moments, waiting for another shock. None came. "Earthquake?" Daniel wondered.

"No, that last one was definitely a hit." Jack replied.

"It would appear that the Xel'nagans are under attack." Teal'c said.

"By the Goa'uld?" Sam asked.

"Not exactly outside of their M.O."

"How did they find this place? If they were searching randomly they would probably never find one single planet." Daniel added.

"Doesn't matter," Jack responded, "we need to get out of here."

"If it is the Goa'uld who attack, they have likely secured the Stargate." Teal'c pointed out. It was probably true, but first they needed to get there.

They were brought to silence as a voice barely penetrated the solid walls. The reverberations in it identified it as that of a Gould, and the distortions meant that it was traveling through several walls to reach them. For a moment Jack felt sorry for anyone out on the street listening to it. The words were all but impossible to make out.

"It is not speaking Goa'uld." Teal'c stated. How he could tell was a mystery. But if Teal'c said it wasn't Gould, it wasn't.

"Ah, a message for our friends then. That can't be good." What really wasn't good was that the size of the shocks they felt indicated that the blasts came from a mothership. And, as far as Jack had noticed, there weren't any anti-aircraft weapons anywhere. It was definitely bad news if the Gould could just sit in orbit and turn the city into molten slag at their leisure.

"So, what now?" Daniel asked.

"Plan B." Jack said without missing a beat.

"We had a plan A? What was that?"

"To come up with a plan B."

"Do we have a plan B then?" Daniel continued.

"Nope. Plan A has been a total failure so far."

They could only stand there, bracing every time the floor trembled beneath their feet, and listening helplessly as heavy feet raced by the closed door. This was so not good, and there wasn't a damn thing they could do about it. It drove Jack absolutely bonkers.

The thud of more feet coming by sounded, but instead of continuing on, the door seemed to open faster than Jack could follow, and a red streak shot through, followed by several other figures. A robed scientist was yelling something in the rear.

It had only just registered that his second-in-command was pinned against the wall by a forearm to her neck when Jack lunged forward, only to be caught by a guard. Gaor-Diq held her effortlessly even as Carter and Alahn fought desperately against him. Jack's struggles were equally useless, and he saw that Daniel and Teal'c were similarly restrained.

"Hey, Dreadlocks," Jack yelled while still resisting, "let her go!"

Jack's attempt to get the focus on him instead failed. Gaor-Diq didn't even act like he heard the words, though their general meaning couldn't have been lost on him. The Xel'nagan spoke, his words laced with hate and promising death to them all.

"Dammit, Daniel, what the hell is going on?"

"He thinks we brought the Gould here." Daniel responded, still struggling himself.

Alahn struggled to breathe, but the Xel'nagan had her firmly pinned. The Scientist was still yelling something at Gaor-Diq, but he wasn't listening.

'Doesn't this just take the cake...' Jack thought to himself, their inability to help causing him to fight even harder.

*

"(This is not the time for such childishness!)" Xyshokana-Esan insisted, but he made no physical move to stop Gaor-Diq from the murder he was in the process of committing.

"(We are enemies of the Goa'uld. They wish our demise as greatly as your own.)" Teal'c tried to reason. Even his physical strength was no match against the warrior that held him at bay. All they had were words, and they weren't producing the desired effect.

He could only watch as Alahn's eyes bugged in a mixture of terror and lack of oxygen. Her lips were clearly turning blue and her struggles were weakening.

"(While you waste time seeking revenge here, our people die on the streets.)" The scientist tried to reason.

"(We are under attack because of them!)"

"(Their deaths will not stop the attack. You claim to be a warrior, now act like one. Stop wasting time here and use your skills to help us all survive this!)"

Gaor-Diq's internal conflict was evident. A cord had very clearly been struck. Teal'c watched his body twitch as he warred with himself over what to do. The seconds stretched into eternities until another blast hit the building, the tremor deciding for Gaor-Diq what he should do. None too gently he tossed Alahn to the ground. She gasped for air, the sudden abundance where there had been none causing her to pass out. But she was alive, and at the moment that was all that mattered.

As Gaor-Diq made his way out of the room he left one command. "(Take them where they can be closely observed.)"

*

"He truly believed he could contain a god indefinitely?" Terak asked incredulously. A host that truly thought it could control the Goa'uld within was unheard of. The idea was ludicrous.

"His belief is what brought the heretic to his untimely demise. And now the rest shall feel my wrath."

Never before had Terak seen his brother hold such a level of pure hatred for anyone. Tralik was too cool, too calculating to let emotions gain such a tight hold on him. From what Terak understood of the ordeal, though, he agreed that every one of these infidels must die. To assume equality with a god could not go unpunished.

And as the two Ha'taks bombarded the city from low orbit, and the many gliders strafed the ground all but uncontested, he knew that retribution would be at hand.

The only significant losses came from the ranks pushing forward from the Chappa'ai. While the creatures had no air defense to speak of, their ground forces proved to be extremely resilient. In the initial attack on the Chappa'ai, the Xel'nagan's meager forces inflicted significant casualties to the assault team. Terak didn't like the realization that, were this just a contest of infantry, they might not come out victorious. Terak's contingent of jaffa was rather paltry, and Tralik had only been able to capture and lure so many from various System Lords. Troops were something they didn't have to waste.

"They will fall. It is only a matter of time." Terak assured.

"That much is certain. After all, I did make a promise. I never break promises."

Terak raised his eyebrows slightly, but didn't question his brother's statement.

*

Alahn's head throbbed angrily. She brought up a hand to try and contain the explosion of brain matter that seemed imminent.

"Easy there." She heard Jack caution.

"Ow." Alahn groaned. The throbbing only got worse as she opened her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Daniel asked.

Alahn turned her head towards him to respond, and immediately regretted it. She choked back a yelp as a searing pain shot through her neck. Tentative probing revealed that, along with sudden movements, her neck refused to be touched as well.

"Ow." She reiterated.

**That was a bit too close for comfort.**

//No kidding.// Alahn responded wryly.

"That bad, huh?" Jack replied.

Alahn noticed a Xel'nagan out of the corner of her eye. Cautiously she turned her head and saw two warriors standing guard outside of their new prison, bars allowing them to see into the hall.

"Where are we?"

"Gaor-Diq ordered us to be placed under guard. We were escorted to this room." Teal'c informed her.

Well, that seemed silly. Why wouldn't they have just been put in this room to begin with?

**Maybe at first we weren't technically prisoners.** Sam suggested.

//I guess.// Alahn didn't want to think about it. It hurt to think. Actually, it just plain hurt to exist.

She managed to sit up, though the effort was far from pleasant. Shuffling back against the wall, Alahn waited for her muscles to stop protesting before she did anything else.

"Bad to worse." Alahn mumbled to herself.

"That's SG-1 for ya. No low-budget productions here. Everything's bigger in Cheyenne." Jack quipped.

"Is that not the motto for the state of Texas, O'Neill?"

"Hammond of Texas, T." Jack said as if it explained everything.

Alahn found herself chuckling at the exchange, Sam's thoughts explaining the social idioms. She didn't really mind that it hurt to laugh, either. There hadn't been that much to laugh about lately so she'd take it whenever it came.

The faint rumblings of a near miss dragged her back to the situation at hand. "Did I miss anything?"

"Disorganized chaos." Jack supplied.

"Any idea who's winning?"

"From what little I heard a passing councilmember say... not the Xel'nagans." Daniel answered.

That was hardly surprising, but certainly not what she had hoped for. At this point it probably didn't matter who won anyway. The demons would kill them, or probably worse, and the Xel'nagans had labeled them as conspirators to the demons. Whoever did win, they would lose.

*

They had known this day was all but foretold. The gods had taken their other worlds with hardly any resistance. The warriors, as well as the other castes, still called them gods. Xyshokana-Esan and his fellow scientists knew better. The Xel'nagans weren't gods and nor were their foes that now attacked.

And therein lay the warriors' flaw; they could not see the forest for the trees. Of course their simple ancestors had interpreted the actions of the Goa'uld as godly. They'd had nothing to compare it to. It was all science, though, and that was one subject he was well aware of.

The warriors didn't understand that the Goa'uld didn't represent the ceiling of achievement.

While the warriors insisted upon hiding behind their own pride, the scientists had been preparing for this day. It had been difficult to do in secret, but if they hadn't the warriors would have destroyed their efforts.

Another scientist approached with a diagnostic. His solemn demeanor alerted Xyshokana-Esan that there were problems even before he looked at the readout on the screen.

"It would seem that our efforts have been for naught." Zetho lamented.

"Smuggled parts and computerized simulations in place of actual tests... it would have been a miracle to make it work the first try." He replied.

"We have yet to isolate the problem," Zetho stated, "it could be something easily fixed."

"Our people hardly have the time for complications, easy or otherwise." Xyshokana-Esan replied.

"Yes, but we will continue in the hope that we can prevail."

He thought on the scientist's words a moment. Zetho was quite young, still awaiting his 100th rotation around the sun, but he held the wisdom and potential of one much older. It was easy to see why he had been one of the few made aware of the project.

"We can only hope it is something simple. Give me copies of all the relevant data. I shall communicate them to Malo-Sentat before we are cut off from the city."

*

Daniel sat against the wall near the bars of their cell. There hadn't been much going on in the hall for quite some time. He had only the passing Xel'nagans to mark the time, but there had been very few in the recent hours.

Jack had noted the recent halt to the bombardment, indicating that the jaffa had probably forged within the perimeter of the city. A prospect that made Daniel cringe.

He really had no interest to sit in on the slaughter of a species.

"How long do you think the Xel'nagans can hold off the Gould?" he asked.

"It could take some time for them to eradicate all the pockets of resistance. But it won't be long before they have the run of the planet." Jack replied.

"Either way we're in trouble," Alahn commented.

"Ah, now ain't that the kicker." Jack said.

"The Xel'nagans believe we are in collusion with the Goa'uld, and Terak would not mourn our passing." Teal'c said simply. There it was in a nutshell.

They had to hope that the Xel'nagans would come out victorious, and that somehow they could persuade the aliens of their innocence. Daniel had no idea how they would go about that. Certainly they couldn't prove that they DIDN'T help the Gould. Up until this point the aliens had taken them for their word, and now that was in question. As long as they remained in this cell there was nothing they could do to earn back any sort of trust.

"We have to prove otherwise." Daniel said. Not that it was as simple as he made it sound.

"I'm open to suggestions." Jack raised his eyebrows as he looked from person to person, waiting for something to be offered up.

"We'll just have to think of something when the time comes." Sam added.

There was a confidence in her voice that she had been lacking, and Daniel felt the corners of his lips lifting slightly. It was just one sentence but he could tell that her whole mindset was turning back around.

"That we will." Amusement was clearly evident in Jack's voice. The whole atmosphere of the cell lifted noticeably.

*

Alahn was glad. The realization came so suddenly that both were shocked by its very existence. Together, she and Sam had come to the conclusion that they weren't just going to sit back any longer. The idea had always there, but their feelings had overwhelmed it as though it never was. But now it had grown, and the initial shock and despair had faded enough for it to show through. They had played the victim long enough, and it didn't suit either of them well.

Nor was it getting any results.

Daniel was now sitting down beside them. They had all noticed her mood change; Alahn and Sam could tell.

"So what brought on the reversal?" Daniel asked. Jack and Teal'c approached, including themselves into the conversation.

"Whining isn't going to get us anywhere." Besides, it felt a whole lot better to be taking some control of events. Not that they could do much in their current situation, but they certainly weren't going to let an opportunity pass them by. Sam had realized she couldn't let her current situation cloud over everything.

"Well, you weren't without justification." He answered. Sam mentally cringed... it was nice of Daniel to give her, and Alahn, an excuse, but they had rode that one just about as far as it could take them. It was time to bite the bullet, so to speak. Alahn was in full agreement.

If nothing else, it was common sense that the solution wasn't just going to fall at their feet while they moped about feeling sorry for themselves.

Sam spoke up. "There comes a point where it just gets excessive. We passed that point a while ago."

"There is no shame in feeling overburdened by what has happened." Teal'c responded.

"Being overburdened and letting something beat you are two different things." Finally they saw which had been happening.

He nodded appreciably at Sam's reply. "You are stronger than you both know."

A silence prevailed for a few minutes, but it wasn't awkward.

"Hey, Major," Jack finally spoke up, "welcome back."

A jovial smirk crossed his lips, playfully quashed as Alahn replied. "And what am I?..."

**Chopped liver.** Sam supplied.

//Ewwww.// Not a pleasant image. But then that was the point.

"... Chopped liver?" she finished, trailing off.

"More like ground round. Veal cutlets even." Alahn rolled her eyes while Daniel and Teal'c simply looked puzzled.

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not." Alahn answered.

"Hey, that came from the bottom of my... stomach."

"Your stomach?" Daniel echoed dubiously.

"Do you think anyone delivers this far out?" Jack wondered.

"Good luck, sir." Sam responded dryly. Though, the idea of a delivery boy stepping through the 'gate with his insulated bag of pizzas was an intriguing one.

*

The guards stood against the opposite wall looking into the cell. Teal'c admired their training as neither had moved from their post nor acknowledged any of O'Neill's prods. Even though they may not have been able to understand him, certain actions had a universality that translated across most cultures.

Teal'c idly touched the bandana that was still around his head, glad that the aliens had not insisted upon its removal. Their situation would only worsen if the Xel'nagans saw that he was jaffa.

Watching their guards had been Teal'c's pretense as he observed Alahn and Major Carter out of the corner of his eye. They were asleep on their back as it was more bearable than any other position given their injuries. Despite stiff neck muscles, Teal'c could see that the pair seemed more at ease than they had been. It was a sight that he greeted. Far too long had they been consumed in a pit of despair. He knew that Major Carter wouldn't let herself simply give up as she had been close to. Thankfully he turned out to be correct.

Words in Goa'uld drifted to Teal'c from somewhere beyond his field of vision, catching his attention. It was a few moments before they became clear enough to make out.

"(... most unfortunate twist of fate.)" One voice said.

"(We are going over the diagnostics as we speak, though I am holding out little hope of a quick solution.)" Teal'c recognized the second voice as Xyshokana-Esan's host. He shook awake Daniel and signaled for him to be quiet and listen.

"(This is our last chance. There is nowhere for our people to run, and now that our enemy controls the Transportation Circle, no way to get there. We must get the weapon operational while there's still something left to save.)" The first voice continued.

"(As I am well aware, Malo-Sentat.)"

"(Of course. You will forgive my passion on this subject. What do we know of the problem?)"

"(Power is not being applied through the system. There are many points where the flow may be encountering difficulties. Systematically testing each will take far too long if the problem does not lie near the beginning of the system.)" Xyshokana-Esan noted.

"(For now it's the best we can do. I will see what I can make of this. I know I do not have to suggest that you do the same.)"

"(Of course.)"

The familiar discharge of a staff weapon shifted Teal'c to his feet. He watched on helplessly as one of the guards was driven against the wall by several blasts. Despite his injuries he and the second guard returned fire. A decidedly human scream filled the air as a jaffa was hit.

The first guard finally succumbed to more staff blasts, and Teal'c heard another, perhaps two, jaffa fall. He, and by then the rest of SG-1, could only look on as the battle played out.

Despite the guard's effort, he was finally taken down by the few surviving jaffa. The victorious soldiers came around the corner into view. They looked at SG-1 and SG-1 returned the stare. One of the jaffa had the mark of Terak while the other two had symbols of Goa'uld that Teal'c didn't know. Apparently Terak had converted the jaffa of various minor Goa'uld.

"You." Terak's jaffa said after recognition flashed in his eye, followed by a look of sheer glee. "My master will be pleased to have you in his grasp once more."

Teal'c eyed the jaffa in defiance. There was nothing they could do in their current situation, but Teal'c was prepared to act the second their new captors made a foolish mistake.

Something he was almost certain they would do.

One moved to search for a locking mechanism on one of the fallen guards. The other jaffa was flying through the air before anyone could register that he had been attacked. As the other jaffa moved to react a second Xel'nagan was already barreling forth, batting his weapon aside and crushing him against the wall, denting his shoulder armor. Terak's jaffa had turned in surprise, and Teal'c acted. He grabbed the jaffa by the shoulders and pulled him against the cell bars. His staff weapon fired, but the shot went wild and chipped the wall. O'Neill assisted and disarmed the jaffa.

Xyshokana-Esan grabbed the jaffa and slung him against the far wall, landing him on top of one of the other jaffa. Then all was silent.

It was an awkward moment as SG-1 stared at the two scientists who returned the gaze. Teal'c was sure that he could see a hint of surprise in their eyes. Were the situation reversed he would be equally confused. They had assisted in the overpowering of the jaffa.

"(The jaffa were pleased to see you, but in the way of a predator catching its prey and not allies reuniting.)" Malo-Sentat stated dubiously.

"(The Goa'uld attacking you is also intent upon our destruction.)" Teal'c responded, hoping this time the words held more weight.

"(Tralik is against you as well?)"

"Tralik?" Daniel Jackson repeated in surprise.

"(You're under attack by Tralik?)" Daniel asked.

"Woah, woah, woah! Tralik? Just what the hell is going on here?" O'Neill cried out. That was the dead snake.

"(With his brother Terak, yes.)" Something in the Xel'nagan's tone made Teal'c think that he believed their ignorance to be sincere.

"(Was Tralik not blended with one of your own?)" Teal'c questioned.

"(He was, but Kintari-Tralik disappeared long ago, we believed them to be dead. He stated that he killed Kintari and has returned to punish us for our audacity.)"

"If I don't hear what's up in five seconds... I'm not going to be happy." O'Neill intoned.

"Apparently Terak AND Tralik are attacking." Daniel Jackson finally replied.

"Isn't he supposed to be dead?"

"It would seem not." Teal'c stated.

"And Jack, they have a weapon that could stop the Gould." Daniel continued.

"Big honkin' space gun?"

"I don't know. But the point may be moot anyway. It isn't working."

"Well then that's a whole heap of help." O'Neill answered sarcastically.

"Perhaps Major Carter can be of assistance in finding the fault in their design." Teal'c said.

"(We do not have time to waste with you.)" Malo-Sentat suddenly said.

"(Please wait, we might be able to help.)" Daniel pleaded.

"I may not be able to do anything, though." Major Carter warned.

"(Help?)" Xyshokana-Esan sounded dubious.

"It can't hurt to try, can it?" All of them nodded slightly at Daniel Jackson's words. It was worth an attempt.

"(Major Carter is a scientist of our world. She may be able to help you figure out whatever is wrong with your weapon.)"

"(An outside view may be what you are missing.)" Daniel added.

The two Xel'nagans looked at each other for several moments. Teal'c could not blame them for still having doubts. However, they had proven themselves far more open than Gaor-Diq had... perhaps they would believe SG-1's sincerity in their offer.

Xyshokana-Esan spoke slowly. "(These are desperate times.)"

Malo-Sentat nodded his approval warily. He moved to grab the locking mechanism and opened the cell.

"I take it this is a good thing." O'Neill said cautiously.

Teal'c nodded as he stepped out of the cell.

*

"Sergeant, report." Hammond ordered as he entered the Control Room. They had been trying to establish a wormhole to the planet for over two hours. Each time the connection had not been made. The other Stargate was in use.

After the third attempt had failed the General had ordered SG-3 to prep for a possible rescue mission.

"We're scheduled to dial in five minutes, sir." Davis replied.

"Do it now."

"Yes, sir." The 'gate began to turn and Sergeant Davis called out each chevron. When George noticed he was grabbing the empty chair so hard that his knuckles were turning white, he loosened his grasp.

"Chevron seven... has locked." Davis' voice was filled with obvious relief as the 'gate kawooshed to life.

"It's about damn time. Send through the MALP."

The probe trundled forth on the ramp, disappearing into the rippling surface. Everyone in the Control Room eyed the monitor, waiting to see what was on the other side. Hammond just knew it was not going to be good, whatever it was.

Only enough video came back through to show several jaffa firing at the probe as soon as it appeared.

"Sir?" Davis queried.

"Shut it down, Sergeant." Hammond activated the intercom into the Gate Room. "SG-3, stand down."

"What now?"

"SG-1 will have to get home on their own. The Stargate is under guard by jaffa and we don't know anything beyond that. It would be suicide for anyone to step through the 'gate." He really should be more surprised that the Gould were there. However SG-1 was so good at getting into impossible situations it wasn't really that far of a stretch for this situation.

Jacob would want to be informed of the current situation, what little Hammond could tell him. "Dial up the Tok'ra."

*

"Am I the only one that sees a problem with this?" Sam asked sarcastically. They had made their way to one of the side exits of the building, and as soon as they cracked open the door the hiss of energy dominated. Staff discharges were streaking through the air in a seemingly haphazard fashion, both sides' weapons indistinguishable from the other. Going out there would be treacherous at best.

It was the dead of night but she could make out other buildings in the glow of the firefight.

"If you have a better idea I'm all ears." the Colonel retorted. One good thing was everyone was too busy shooting at each other to notice them. Hopefully.

Their two Xel'nagan guides raced across the street into a smaller building on the other side. They carried the fallen guards' weapons, while SG-1 had pilfered the staff weapons of the jaffa. It was all for looks, though. If they got caught up in the firefight, then they would lose. They couldn't afford to be bogged down.

She rushed through the street with the others, keeping as low as possible while still running headlong through the open door, her neck injury all but forgotten. When they reached the other building Sam's mind immediately returned to trying to figure out the problem with the alien weapon. A fruitless endeavor since she didn't know what the problem was, or even what technology she would be dealing with. It would probably be based on Goa'uld technology, which gave her a better chance of knowing enough to actually be able to help.

//Maybe you should save this for when we actually get there.// Alahn suggested as Sam nearly walked into the wall, stopped only by Teal'c's hand on her shoulder.

**Right.**

"Are you well?" he asked.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking." Sam answered sheepishly.

And not thinking about what a fool she had been recently. That thought had plagued her mind since she and Alahn had decided enough was enough. So, in true Carter spirit, she shirked it off. Feeling like an idiot could wait until later.

Considering the danger they were in, hopping from building to building, Sam was surprised how cluttered her mind was with other things. For now she pushed the doubt and relief to the side, and focused on not getting shot.

"So where exactly are we trying to get to?" Colonel O'Neill asked.

Daniel exchanged a few words to Xyshokana-Esan. "There's a secret entrance to their bunker at the edge of the city."

"Ah hell, that's going to take forever."

The Colonel was right; they had to navigate their way through buildings only to rush into others. However, remaining on the street for any significant length of time was out of the question. Maneuvering around both the jaffa and the Xel'nagan's fighters was taking more time than any of them were comfortable with.

Apparently Malo-Sentat noticed their discomfort and spoke.

"He says that we are nearing an alleyway. Assuming it is not a major cataract for the fray, our pace shall make great improvement." Teal'c translated for the others.

"Ah, speed is good." The Colonel replied.

"The fighting seems to have reached a standstill." Sam added. Neither side seemed to be gaining or losing ground. Maybe it would buy them some more time. Apparently Terak and Tralik were both a little too eager to take this planet down. While the larger buildings were decimated, the bombardment had done little to quell the defenders within the city. If anything the debris only made it easier for the Xel'nagans to hold their ground.

The group that had made it into their holding area had obviously been a fluke that managed to bypass the heavy fighting.

"I wonder if Hammond has tried to contact us yet." Daniel wondered aloud as they dashed into another building.

"Yeah, I'd imagine he's tried. We are just a wee overdue. Probably got a nasty welcome at the 'gate." Colonel O'Neill answered.

Chances were any probe that was sent through didn't last long. They weren't expecting any help.

*

As soon as George had said 'there's been complications' Jacob had insisted upon continuing the conversation on Earth. He had been made aware of SG-1's mission to the planet before they had left. It had been on his mind ever since.

**Constant worrying does no one any good.** Selmak chided. **It just makes my job harder. If you humans only realized what you did to your bodies...**

//That's my daughter out there, I think I have the right to worry.//

**Of course. I only attempt to lighten the mood.**

As soon as Jacob stepped through on the other side, he caught Hammond's eye in the Control Room and silently communicated that they would talk in the Briefing Room. He wasted no time in ascending the stairs. Jacob wanted to know what was going on as soon as possible.

"What went wrong, George?" Jacob finally stopped walking and faced his friend.

"We don't know exactly. SG-1 was well overdue for contact. We tried to dial the planet five times before we were able to establish a connection. The MALP was destroyed almost immediately on the other side."

"Destroyed?" Did he mean by an iris-type barrier, or deliberately by the inhabitants on the other side?

"We received just enough video to make out several jaffa on the other end."

"Jaffa? I thought this was a planet that belonged to these aliens." Jacob responded in surprise. Jaffa shouldn't be there.

**If they are, it is safe to assume that the planet has fallen under attack.**

//That's NOT what I wanted to hear.// Jacob said, his worry rising.

**I would not dishonor you by telling lies, Jacob.**

//God, what the hell is going on over there.//

**Please calm yourself, Jacob. I shall continue the inquiry.** Jacob acquiesced to Selmak, who stepped forth and took control.

Selmak spoke calmly, her voice even. "Please forgive us. Jacob is having some difficulty with this new information. I must admit that I too am at a loss."

George nodded solemnly. "Since the probe was destroyed so quickly, we were unable to attempt radio contact with SG-1. Right now we have no idea what's happening on that planet."

"I see. It is a common Goa'uld tactic to keep the Stargate open to prevent their enemy from sending reinforcements through it." Selmak informed him. It was useless knowledge that didn't help the current situation.

//This isn't good.//

**Truly it is not. But perhaps we do not give this species proper credit. They could very well be driving back the Goa'uld invaders.**

//Forgive me if their track record doesn't give me much hope.// Jacob scoffed. They had already lost two planets, what would stop them from losing one more?

"We are prepping a UAV run to see if we can get some idea of what's going on over there." George stated.

"It will be destroyed like your previous probe." Selmak warned. But, Jacob knew, if George was suggesting this then he had thought of something.

"A series of smoke and fragmentation grenades will be sent through just prior to launch. With luck the screen will allow the UAV to get out of weapons range before it can be destroyed." The General explained.

"There is a great chance of failure, but I fall short of offering a better course of action." Selmak admitted. It was the best they could do in the current situation.

Jacob signaled his wish to speak and Selmak pulled back. "Selmak and I are going to stay until this whole situation is resolved, of course."

"Of course." George replied, expecting no less.

"When is the UAV going through?"

"As soon as it's prepped we'll attempt to dial the planet in fifteen minute intervals."

Jacob and Hammond stood in the control room as a connection was established. They were lucky and managed to get through on only the third try. Below the UAV awaited on its launch pad as soldiers sent through the grenade package.

Ample time was given for the smoke to thicken, and then Hammond nodded to the technician who activated the UAV's launch propellants.

"UAV will arrive in 3... 2... 1. Receiving video." The technician announced. Flares of light could be seen in the smoke pocket as staff weapons fired in the air, but so far none of them hit their mark. The probe gained altitude, leaving the smoke pocket, and giving them all a splendid view of what lay beyond.

Jacob, as well as the others, had hoped to see the Goa'uld being beaten back by the aliens. What unfolded as the UAV gained optimum altitude was anything but. Death Gliders streaked through the air unopposed. A city was barely visible over the terrain, the signs of bombardment impossible to miss. The Goa'uld were walking all over these people, and by the looks resistance was all but nonexistent.

"Weren't they preparing for this sort of thing? Did they think that the Goa'uld would just leave them alone?" Jacob couldn't help but put voice to his thoughts.

"Open up the channel." Hammond ordered, receiving a nod from the technician. "SG-1, this is General Hammond. If you can hear me, respond."

He tried a few more times, each followed by silence.

**Perhaps they are within one of the buildings, and the signal is unable to penetrate.** Selmak offered as a lame consolation to her host.

He ignored her. "The Death Gliders had to come from somewhere. A mothership must be in orbit."

"I'm afraid that given the current circumstances I can't send any personnel through." George announced slowly.

Jacob knew that it hurt his friend to not be able to help his men. It hurt him even more to respond. "I understand."

*

"What's with these guys and narrow tunnels?" Jack asked no one in particular. Daniel had been told that they'd reached the entrance to their bunker. The entrance was little more than a trap door within Malo-Sentat's home near the outer fringe of the city. Now they walked through a dimly lit tunnel that was barely wide enough for one Xel'nagan to squeeze through.

"The dimensions are similar to those of the pyramid." Teal'c commented.

"There's probably some sort of cultural significance." Daniel said something to one of their guides asking about it, Jack assumed. He wasn't surprised when Daniel began to rattle off an explanation after receiving a pretty detailed response. "He says that it's a habit retained from their homeworld. Apparently every year some species called the Kalwa would grow to swarm-like numbers and attack their settlements. They would build everything to defend themselves in sieges."

Having to face enemies one at a time definitely would be advantageous in a fight. It also explained the fighting up in the city. They'd probably picked up a thing or two about staving off attackers. Maybe they actually had the time to fix whatever was wrong.

The tunnel widened slightly and a pair of Xel'nagans wielding their versions of staff weapons stopped them. Jack wasn't sure but he thought he could see a door around their bulks. They wore robes, so Jack could only assume that they were scientists. Their escorts began talking to the two guards, and it was more than obvious that the presence of four humans was a tense subject. He couldn't help but hold his own weapon a little tighter, just in case things went wrong. It was disconcerting to not know exactly what was being said about them, but the fact that they hadn't been killed yet had to mean something. He glanced at Teal'c out of the corner of his eye and saw that he was also prepared for trouble.

Thankfully they didn't get any. The guards finally nodded to the two council members, and led them through the door. The room was huge and very well lit in contrast to the long corridor they had to walk through to get there. Robed scientist scurried around the domed area holding what appeared to be some sort of handheld computers. Tension was thick, and in here Jack felt an even greater apprehension than he had dodging through the actual fighting. Unless something happened, they were going to lose the fight, and the scientists knew that.

Jack felt the sense of urgency to be contagious and found himself shifting impatiently. He spoke to Daniel. "So, what... now?"

The hesitation came from Jack's gaze finally moving past the hurried figures to the large machine in the middle of the room. With the lights reflecting off of it he didn't know how he had missed it in the first place.

"That's... that's big." Daniel stated.

"Huge." Jack corrected.

"Huge." Daniel agreed.

They both just stared at it for a few moments.

"Now THAT is what I call a big, honkin' space gun." Jack finally broke the silence. The turret stood at least 40 feet high, easily dwarfing everything else in the large room. It put the Tollan ion cannons to shame, that was for sure.

It was too bad that there was something wrong with it.

Jack cracked his knuckles in preparation. "Ok folks, guess we should get to it."

*

Daniel looked on as one of the scientists opened up a panel at the base of the weapon at Malo-Sentat's beckoning. It didn't mean anything to him, even when he had relayed information about the weapon to Sam, but Sam looked at the innards with keen interest. The only thing Daniel could make out was that it looked Gould, crystals poking out of the panel.

"This just might be possible." Sam commented, receiving a questioning look from Daniel. "I was afraid that their technology might only resemble the Goa'uld's on the outside, and then I'd have no frame of reference."

"So, piece of cake." Jack replied.

"I didn't say that." Sam said, slightly bemused. Her reaction was short-lived as she continued her inspection.

Daniel sighed at Jack, receiving an innocent shrug in reply. Sam continued examining various panels that contained God-knows-what. Teal'c looked on appreciably, but Jack didn't even pretend to understand any of it. Instead he kept looking about the room while rocking on the balls of his feet.

"Hey, Teal'c and I are gonna go mingle, see what else we can learn." Jack announced, leading Teal'c off.

Daniel watched them walk around for a few moments. The two went from station to station, Xyshokana-Esan providing translations for Teal'c.

"This thing uses a huge amount of power." Sam said to herself, bringing Daniel back to the moment.

"Well, as Jack so eloquently put it, it is a 'big honkin' space gun'." Daniel responded. If it did have any chance of turning the tide it would have to use a lot of power. A Gould mothership wasn't just going to fall out of the sky on its own.

"All of these crystals are required to channel the energy it takes to run this thing."

"And that means?" Daniel still couldn't see what she was trying to say.

"If there were a problem with these there would have probably been an explosion, or at least a power surge that could cause some severe damage. But from what they said that isn't the case. Power is simply being diverted somewhere." She explained.

"The problem is figuring out where." Daniel concluded. Didn't sound like anything new, but apparently she had eliminated one possibility.

"Right. I'm going to need some more info." Sam declared, indicating that Daniel would have to once again put his translation skills to use.

*

"SG-1, this is General Hammond. If you can hear me, respond." The recording went silent for a few moments before continuing. "SG-1, do you copy?"

"How long ago was this?" Jack asked.

Teal'c asked the scientist who was escorting them. "I am unfamiliar with the units of time, but Zetho assures me that the message not new."

If that were the case they definitely couldn't count on the folks back home to help them out. "So we missed contact with Hammond. Our friends here say the 'gate is heavily guarded."

"General Hammond would not likely send a team into such perilous conditions." Teal'c added, having reached the same conclusion. "Sending a message would have been most difficult."

"Which means they probably won't try again. And that leaves us right back where we started." He knew that the General would feel otherwise, but he'd be hard pressed to justify expending any more resources on what seemed nothing less than a hopeless situation. The fact that no one had answered the hail just meant that Hammond couldn't even be sure that they were still alive.

The backup would have been nice, but probably wouldn't have made any real difference. They'd just have to do without. Hopefully the troops up top would hold things long enough for them to get the weapon working. Well, there wasn't much of anything that he could personally do to speed things up, but he could still drag Teal'c around and see what else he could figure out.

*

This test should narrow down exactly where the problem was occurring. Several scientists were around opened control panels preparing to scan the crystal relays. To reach them the scientists had to stand on the platform at the base of the weapon. When they powered up the weapon the sensors, having been recalibrated, should be able to determine where the power was being redirected. Then it would just be a matter of replacing or working around the system in question.

//I'll just be glad when this is over with, one way or the other.// Alahn interrupted.

Sam agreed. It was long past time for a break. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to work out an especially stiff muscle. Amazingly some had relaxed a bit from her encounter with Gaor-Diq First, she had to help the Xel'nagans get this weapon working, and then she could take a moment.

Everything was about set for the test.

**All that power has to go somewhere.** Something was beginning to nag at Sam.

//So you've said.// Alahn was far from an expert in electronics, but she could feel Sam's uncertainty.

**Nothing blew up, and their diagnostics showed no damage after their first test. And that would be exactly the thing to look for if a control crystal had failed.** There was something that she was missing.

//Then that rules out a control crystal.// Alahn pieced together.

**But... the weapon utilizes a lot of crystals to focus power to be sent to the firing mechanism.**

//The problem lies there.// Alahn deducted from Sam's thoughts.

*Not necessarily, the gun can't build up a charge to release. The energy is being released somewhere else...** She was so close to the answer it nagged at her.

When the test began, the hum of power was accompanied by screams. The scientists on the weapons looked almost possessed. They convulsed wildly for a few moments that seemed to stretch into an eternity. As the power was cut they fell in a boneless heap to the ground.

"What the hell was that?" the Colonel exclaimed over the ensuing chaos.

Sam was too stunned by the complete lack of effects that accompanied the electrocution to answer. The Xel'nagans converged upon the fallen scientists, pulling them clear even though the danger had passed and the damage had been done. Only one appeared to be semi-conscious, she wouldn't be surprised if either or both of the others were already dead.

Snapping back to the moment she finally offered up a response. "They were electrocuted."

Orders were being shouted, making it hard to hear. One of them was obviously dead, having been abandoned for the other two. They were eventually taken away to whatever medical facilities there were.

"What happened?" Daniel asked.

"There's a flaw in the insulation, the power never reached the firing mechanism because it jumped to the outer casing." She pieced together from the display. It disturbed her to have to figure it out this way.

"So it fried them," Sam nodded to the Colonel's remark. "How come it didn't toast the rest of us?"

"The gun is grounded."

"Can this problem be solved?" Teal'c asked.

Sam admonished herself for being just a moment too slow. The accident did highlight the problem, but at the cost of at least one life. Alahn was still trying to absorb exactly what happened.

"Yeah, it's not that difficult now that it's obvious what is going on. It's just going to take a little time to do it." She had a job to do.

*

"Their fortifications within the city are proving most troublesome." Terak stated. He felt odd being the voice of reason in such a conversation. Usually it was he that would want to send their forces in headlong. "It would have been wise to continue the bombardment for some time longer."

"They ARE failing, slow as it may be. Those that survive the battle will be made to suffer for their indiscretions." Tralik replied, not even turning to face his brother.

"Be that as it may, perhaps it would be wise to pull back and resume the aerial attack for a while longer."

Tralik then fixed him with such a glare that Terak found fear creeping into him. Never before had he felt anything close to fear of his brother, but now he simply did not know the Goa'uld standing before him. What could these creatures have possibly done to change him so much? Terak was sure that something had been left out when Tralik told his tale, because even he couldn't figure it. The anger he could understand, but to completely forego strategy to achieve revenge was not like Tralik.

He'd only have to hope that vengeance would return his brother to something like what he had been before. Until then, he'd have to watch his step.

After a brief pause, Terak amended his previous statement. "You are, of course, a more brilliant tactician than I."

For the moment Tralik seemed satisfied.

*

Teal'c stood on as they once again attempted to power up the weapon. Major Carter had mentioned something about the outer skin of the weapon having its polarity reversed, which he only understood to mean that this time it should function properly. She had spoken that it was not necessary to fix the insulation to get the gun to work, just to make the path to the core the easiest for the power to flow.

It was no surprise that O'Neill and Daniel Jackson seemed to understand as well as he did. However, both Major Carter and the Xel'nagan scientists were confident that the weapon would now work. Tracking systems outside of the bunker had located the position of two motherships in low orbit. All that remained was to attack.

The gun wouldn't be able to purge the jaffa already within the city. But the destruction of their ships would deal a great blow to the morale of the troops. To be sure, the Xel'nagans chances would be greatly increased without the motherships and their glider escorts present to dispatch anyone not sheltered within the city.

"They're going to start now." Daniel advised. Everyone distanced themselves from the gun, just in case.

When the area was clear the technician activated the controls. There was a deep hum of power, and then nothing. After a few seconds the gun rotated to point directly overhead and then stopped. Then with a nod from Malo-Sentat the overhead doors were opened, some dirt and debris falling into the bunker.

"Bye bye." O'Neill waved to the sky.

*

"My lord, there is a large source of energy on the planet, scans indicate it to be a weapon." The jaffa cried from his post at the pel'tak.

"What? You only picked it up just now?" Terak berated.

"We are being targeted."

"Raise the shields!" Terak ordered. As the words left his mouth he saw the other Ha'tak explode in the view screen. "Lock onto the signal! Destroy it!"

"What is this?" Tralik was truly perplexed.

"Lock acquired, my lord." The jaffa stated.

Terak was about to bellow the command to fire when he saw a purple bolt streaking towards them. An instant later the ship jolted with such force that he immediately knew that the shields had not completely stopped the attack. Grabbing the throne for his life was the only thing that kept Terak from spilling to the ground with everyone else. The lights flickered ominously.

"Destroy it!" he commanded.

"Main power is down, only backup systems are functioning. Nearly half of the ship is venting as we speak. We cannot defend ourselves." The First Prime panicked.

He couldn't believe it. Victory had been assured, even with the premature end to their bombardment. How did this weapon go undetected until now? How were they losing?

"They will all die." Tralik stated evenly.

"Not before us, brother."

Tralik looked surprised. "You have changed. You are not as you were."

"It is you that I do not know anymore. What could these beasts have done to you to make you lose your senses so thoroughly? You were once the greatest tactician that I ever knew. Were you truly yourself you wouldn't have allowed this travesty to come to pass!"

"I am a god!"

With Tralik's proclamation a second bolt raced towards them and the Ha'tak exploded in spectacular brilliance.

Even in the morning light a flash in the sky could be seen. The Death Gliders that were patrolling the planet went into disarray, communications disabled. While most didn't know what to do, a few took initiative and prepared for attack runs on the open bunker. But the weapon was already prepared, locking on the various gliders. None had a chance to enter weapons range before they were incinerated.

Just as soon as it had started, it was all over.

*

Malo-Sentat stood before a large group of Xel'nagans. Many from all castes were present, waiting to hear what he had to say. Everyone knew it was the scientist's weapon that had ultimately driven the invaders away, it had not taken long for this news to spread. The ground forces were slowly fleeing from the city after their support had been decimated. With the scientists raised up as heroes, Malo-Sentat hoped to use their new position to erect certain changes. Changes he was sure that many would be in favor of, but tradition was a powerful deterrent to many. It would only be more difficult the longer he waited.

"Times have changed. The gods themselves have been thwarted, and our people's existence preserved. But now is not the time to think ourselves invincible. We must continue to better our race and strive for more." He may not have believed them to be gods, but it wasn't the time to argue that with the people. Only so much could be addressed at once.

"Just what do you propose?" Gaor-Diq asked dubiously.

"The Council is biased. To only have two castes represented is preposterous."

"It is how it has been for ages. Kintari-Tralik himself declared it, The Council shall be made of seven and they shall be from the mind and body of the people." Gaor-Diq interrupted before more could be said. He spoke with the blind devotion that marked a zealot, fanatical and unyielding in their beliefs. Even if those beliefs were proven false before their very eyes.

"Were all the laborers to disappear, or the healers, or any of the others, they would be as sorely missed as the scientists or the warriors. Yet they do not receive the same respect. All are needed for us to be as we are, and all contribute to what we will become. I only suggest that all should have a say in matters of The Council. Only in that way can we be sure that decisions made will truly benefit our people." Malo-Sentat rebutted.

It was but a moment before Krenal, a respected healer, stepped forward. "Honored Malo-Sentat speaks wisely. It is time for change. Just as the vlashi adapts to the season, we must adapt to the times around us. Something serving us in the past does not mean that it always will."

Many assembled voiced their approval. The warriors, however, looked less than pleased. In fact, they looked absolutely vehement, their expressions windows to the anger burning within each. Malo-Sentat smiled on the inside, because he knew that the warrior's anger stemmed from the fact that they were losing. The people were with him.

Malo-Sentat continued. "Each caste should have an equal voice within The Council. To that end I believe that the castes should all have one joined representative... chosen by their own."

"This is outrageous!" Gaor-Diq shouted. Fighting a losing battle.

Everyone else showed support for the idea. "You seem to be the only one who disapproves. Do you really find yourself that much greater than the rest of our people that the idea of working with them appalls you so?"

Malo-Sentat could have rubbed the budding victory in even further, but he didn't want to turn those assembled against his cause, or divide the people any more than necessary. The warriors would resent the power shift, but if everyone approved, they'd have no choice but to obey. Since the beginning of their civilization, the warriors' first charge had always been the protection of the Xel'nagan people. No matter their disputes, it was the one directive they simply didn't know how to stray from.

They would survive the loss of their power, but not the loss of their honor.

*

"All of the jaffa are out of the city now?" Daniel asked.

"Many fled at the first opportunity, but others would have exposed themselves had they attempted escape." Teal'c replied.

It had been two days since the ships were destroyed and the attacking forces fell apart. Each squad was fighting for their own survival, no longer coordinating with any others. Those near the outskirts of the city retreated almost immediately, while those further in had to work their way out. The ones guarding the Stargate probably hadn't remained long.

When they left the bunker with the scientists, Daniel had been surprised by the atmosphere. Everyone was starting to come out of hiding, lying praises upon the scientists for saving them. The warriors were still busy cleaning up the pockets of jaffa that were still scattered about, but Daniel was sure that they wouldn't want to be around even if they weren't occupied. They had lost face to the people. Though they couldn't understand the words, the gestures were telling enough. The Xel'nagans were supporting their saviors, and those were the scientists.

Something had happened behind closed doors, and despite Daniel's inquiries he hadn't been able to learn much about it. All he knew was that The Council was not the same one they had met with before the invasion. Malo-Sentat and Gaor-Diq were there, but everyone else was new. Judging by clothing, many castes were assembled, two of the new Xel'nagans belonging to each. The chamber wasn't designed for so many people to be on The Council, so all stood on the dais.

The only thing Daniel had really been able to gather was that the new council members were only waiting to be joined, blended, or whatever terminology one wanted to use for getting a symbiote in the head. He still couldn't really grasp the idea of blending being so neutral. The only reason the Tok'ra worked was because the symbiotes chose to share the body with the host. In the case of the Xel'nagans, something biological prevented complete control. These people had no concept of slavery to a parasite, and probably didn't realize the human hosts weren't always willing partners.

Malo-Sentat stepped forward, bringing Daniel out of his thoughts.

"(We have spoken at length about your situation. While our scientists could perhaps have solved the problem with the weapon themselves, time was short. As such, we both acknowledge, and offer the thanks of the people for your aid.)" With that all the Xel'nagans assembled crossed both pairs of arms and bowed their heads briefly, Gaor-Diq's stiffness making it well known that he did not agree with the others.

Daniel cleared his throat. "(We're honored. It is our hope that our two people can become friends and perhaps open relations.)"

"(In time I believe this would be possible,)" Malo-Sentat paused briefly, "(until then, we shall honor your request and work toward helping your friend.)"

Daniel was shocked into silence. He couldn't believe what he had heard.

"What's wrong?" Alahn asked, seeing his bewildered look.

"Nothing... they agreed to help us."

There was a long pause as everyone let it sink in.

"Seriously?" Jack asked.

"Seriously."

Sam and Alahn remained speechless. The wind knocked out of them, it was all they could do to stand. Daniel watched as they struggled to grasp what exactly was going on.

"We had to catch a break somewhere." Daniel whispered to them, then translated their gratitude to the Council.

*

Teal'c and Jack approached the Stargate. Several warriors stood guard for any jaffa that continued to linger throughout the countryside. They all avoided looking at the two humans, all outraged that their place in society had been rocked so severely, no doubt setting heavy blame on SG-1. Teal'c ignored them as he dialed earth, and Jack sent the iris code. Getting the green light, both stepped through.

There was an obvious relief of tension in the Gate Room as the pair stepped through, short lived when it was obvious they were the only ones coming.

"Colonel O'Neill, where are Doctor Jackson and Major Carter?" Hammond asked.

"Still on the planet, sir."

"Is everyone ok?" Jacob stepped forward and asked, and Jack knew he wouldn't live long if his answer was negative.

"Better than ok." Jack rocked back on his heels, reveling.

"For someone who just came from a planet besieged by Gould, you seem rather pleased with yourself." Hammond commented.

"Well, sir, it's all fun and games until somebody loses a ship."

"They in fact lost several vessels." Teal'c corrected. Jack wondered for a moment if he didn't see a smirk grace the large man's features for a second.

"Ships." Jack amended, receiving a nod from Teal'c.

Both generals were quickly losing their patience, which Jack took as his cue to lay on the good news.

"Bottom line is the bad guys got their butts kicked and our fine alien friends have agreed to help us out."

TBC


	8. Return

Legacy of the Xel'naga 8: Return

Author: Confushi Sushi

Email: confushi_

Rating: PG13 (just to be safe)

Spoilers: None for this one... I think.

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst

Pairing(s): none in this part

Season: Looking like sometime late 3rd, maybe 4th

Summary: With the end in sight, will things turn out the way everyone hopes?

Disclaimer: Not mine… No $. I'm just borrowing for a bit but I'll give 'em right back, I swear.

A/N: There is no excuse for the delay in this one. My muse was on her deathbed and just refused to come out and play. But now it is done, the story is complete. I do intend to still write a sort of stand alone prologue. It will be all about how Tralik came to be with the Xel'nagans, and what did happen to Kantari? No SG-1 in it, but after all this I really think it must be written. Way too much back story left up in the air. I would like to thank everyone for staying with me for the long haul and all of your feedback, you guys are awesome.

*

Sam laid stretched out in the sunlight. Being human again should invoke more emotion, she thought. For all that had happened lately, she felt an alarming lack of anything. And why there were no guards topside? Did the airmen forget that they were standing on top of a military base?

Just as she realized she was completely alone on the slope, she heard something sliding through the grass. She couldn't find what was making the noise. The sound was getting louder though, and the culprit closer. She tensed, but didn't move.

Finally she made out faint colors rippling in the grass, muted by the light of the day. The light pattern was eerily familiar, though how the statue could now be slithering through the grass was beyond her. It seemed to be circling her, drawing ever closer.

"What do you want?" Sam was almost certain by now that this couldn't possibly be real, but she couldn't release herself from the dream.

Possibly more shocking than her questioning a statue, or a strangely colored snake at the least, was hearing a response. The voice was wispy, fading in and out like the colors that rippled along its body. "Let it go."

The snake stopped, its head just a scant foot away from her own, rising up and coiling like the statue in the pyramid, the sky suddenly turning dark. Despite all of this, she still hadn't moved an inch, further confirming her suspicion that this was most definitely a dream.

"Let it go!" It commanded, lashing out.

Sam awoke to a loud thud and concerned voices coming to her aid. It took a moment for her to take in her current position, face down on the floor. Wasn't she too old to be falling out of bed?

Certainly there were better ways to wake up.

"Sam?" Daniel managed to blurt before everyone else, which was when Sam remembered that she wasn't alone in the room the Xel'nagans provided. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c had returned in the middle of the night, bringing along Janet with her assortment of supplies, plus her dad, which was an event she hadn't been prepared for. Sam was happy to see Jacob, but wasn't expecting him to be waiting eagerly at the SGC for their return.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Sam assured, waving away helping hands and concerned faces, all the while trying to hide the redness growing in her cheeks. Certain people wouldn't let her live this down anytime soon, that much of which she was certain.

"You sure? That was a pretty nasty spill." Janet commented.

"I'm fine." Sam repeated, already feeling a bruise starting to form. Alahn was still groggy with sleep, not quite sure what was going on. She resisted the urge to rub the offending bruise, lest those around her took more interest than the wound deserved.

Jacob was actually shaking his head slightly with a bemused look on his face. Sam couldn't help a chuckle herself, despite her less than dignified entrance into consciousness. By now she had sat up, trying to scowl at her father, but failing miserably.

//If you really wanted to get out of bed, there are more productive means.// Alahn joked.

**Not you too.** Sam scolded.

"My, Sam, what big eyes you have." Jacob managed to keep a straight face, but Sam could see it was only just.

Whose side was he on, anyway? And wasn't this the Colonel's forte?

"All the better to bore holes into our heads with." Colonel O'Neill quickly replied. Of course he wouldn't stay away from the digs for long. Well, if there was going to be head boring, he might as well be the first. Images of brain matter strewn across the room made the embarrassment tolerable.

A smirk must have made it to her face, the others taking a step back, guessing what she had found so amusing.

*

Xyshokana-Esan took SG-1 to the pyramid. Several scientists were already within working on the systems. It almost looked like a completely different place, sconces lighting the interior much better than their flashlights had been able to. The detail that had went into the walls, reliefs, and inlays were much more striking.

The Xel'nagans had invited them to explain the machine's functions, and to see the progress that was being made. It was quite amazing really, if you were into all this technology stuff. Not really his field, but what Daniel could wrap his head around was simply astonishing.

The machine used components from the old body to create the new body. Since Xel'nagans had more mass than a symbiote could ever dream of, there was no worry for a shortage of material. Surplus was destroyed. No one really wanted to consider what that meant.

Sam had been most fascinated with their method of reproducing the brain. Daniel hadn't really thought about it before, but it was quite a feat to create a brain many times smaller than the original and keep all of the thoughts and memories intact. Xyshokana-Esan spoke of how the condensing algorithm had taken far more time to perfect than building the actual pyramid to house all of the machinery. He even commented on how well the algorithm was created that it even worked across species. They had never envisioned anyone else using the pyramid, but the algorithm had to be adaptive even for intraspecies use. The brain was one organ that could vary widely from person to person.

"So how do they intend on reversing the process?" Janet asked. She came for exactly this reason, to oversee what was being done. Both sides were entering areas that they weren't familiar with. Since the Xel'nagans never had needed to return to their former bodies, little thought had ever been put towards that end. Though not entirely sure what she could do if something did go wrong, Janet did feel better simply being there.

"He says that the last transformation is stored in the system. Sam's... blueprint is in the machine, they just have to interchange it for the symbiote blueprint. That's the easy part though. Xyshokana-Esan sees no problems doing that much." Daniel explained, leaving out what the hard part was.

Sam nodded solemnly, able to figure out where the hitch lay.

Selmak took the opportunity to voice what had already become apparent to all. "Reversing the algorithm will be no simple task."

Xyshokana-Esan explained more to Daniel, guessing where their conversation had taken them. "He says that reversing the algorithm itself is not difficult. What may be problematic is that Sam has gained new memories since the change. That means that trying to revert it to the original isn't going to work. So they have to work with the model and allow for these changeswhich wasn't an issue they had to address."

There was a moment of silence, everyone turning to Sam.

"Can they do it?" she asked.

Daniel exchanged a few words with the Xel'nagan. "It's risky, but he thinks it can be done."

*

Janet followed Sam down the lit corridor that led to the second floor. Sam had asked Daniel if it was safe to go up there, and Xyshokana-Esan had promised that the statue only emitted a signal that calmed the chosen, it didn't force anyone to touch it. He had also added that the transformation procedure had been disabled to prevent the loss of her signature. The patterns were only stored until the next transformation, then the memory was wiped to make room for the new pattern. So Sam had wanted to go, and Janet had convinced her friend to allow her to tag along.

None of the scientists were in this wing. The actual guts of the device lay inside the other room. It was probably for the best, as Janet was sure Sam would want as much privacy as possible for whatever she was hoping to accomplish. She just hoped that Sam knew what she was doing.

Sam paused at the last turn, hesitant. Janet watched her just stand there for a few moments.

"Are you ok?" she asked softly. The thoughts that were going through Sam's and Alahn's minds she could only guess at. To once again be where it all started.

"Can't believe I'm nervous about walking into a room." Sam admitted.

"Considering everything, I'd be surprised if you weren't." Janet said. There was far more to this than just a simple room. A lot had happened here, and that couldn't be ignored. And it wasn't over yet, either.

Alahn took control then. "Guess this is it."

The girl looked tense, obviously feeling Sam's own doubts. Janet knew better than to interfere, some things had to be done. There was something that had to be proven. As a friend, the only thing Janet could do was help her out.

"Whenever you're ready."

Alahn chuckled nervously to herself. Janet found herself getting nervous as well. She had never been in here before, and only had the descriptions of SG-1 to prepare her for what lay beyond. All she did know is that the contents of the room they were entering had started this whole fiasco.

Alahn rounded the corner, stopping as soon as she entered the room. Janet made her way beside the girl, and then looked at the object of her attention. The statue was far away across the room, but still quite impressive from this distance. It must have been far more spectacular in the dark, but even with the impromptu lighting by the scientists the coiled symbiote was still staggering. She could see how easy it was to just approach the statue, the rippling colors easing her nerves, gently calling her forward.

Janet had no doubt that Sam was now in control, and she was anything but relaxed. Out of the corner of her eye, Janet could see her tense stance and unwavering gaze. It was as if Sam was having a battle with the statue then and there. Janet waited for Sam to do something, watching her tightly clenched fists down by her side. If she stood any more rigidly, she'd crack under the strain.

Sam stared at the statue, waging some mental war on the inanimate object. There was no doubt that she was angry, the set of her jaw said as much. Janet was sure most of that anger was directed inward.

After a few moments Sam started walking towards the statue, stopping when she was still several feet away. Janet followed and watched Sam's body language intently. So much bubbled beneath the surface and it needed to go somewhere. She knew her friend; so much had been stamped down and pushed to the side. Now it was obvious these feelings were fighting for attention.

"Sam?" Janet tried for some sort of response.

"I can't believe I did it." She began to circle the statue slowly.

"From what I heard you weren't thinking clearly. There's hardly any blame to be laid."

"I don't even know what I was thinking." Sam blurted out the words.

"The neurological effects may be more pronounced in humans. We already know these aliens have fundamentally different brain chemistry than us because they don't blend with a symbiote in the same way a human does. At any rate, it doesn't really matter."

"Teal'c didn't just go up and touch the damn thing."

The frustration was plainly evident, but Janet didn't expect less. Sam was trying to work through it in her mind. "I think he had more pressing matters at that point, don't you? Plus he has Junior."

"I had Jolinar."

"Had," Janet emphasized, "a protein marker only does so much, Sam."

"I'm being stupid, aren't I?" she sighed, looking at her friend with mild amusement.

"Difficult, maybe." Janet smiled slightly.

"This really isn't as bad as I had made it out to be. I just couldn't get beyond what had happened to think of what the consequences actually were."

"Such as?"

"I still know everything I did before. Getting down to it there are positives. Between being a host, as short-lived as that was, and being a symbiote the whole dynamic of symbiote and host makes more sense than it did before."

"It's certainly a unique opportunity."

"I've been too busy feeling sorry for myself. That's not me." Sam chided herself. Her guilt for her previous behaviors overwhelmed her. Janet came forward and they brushed arms.

"Extreme situations make people do things they never thought they would do. This has to be about as extreme as it gets. No one else blames you for anything that has happened."

Janet observed as Sam's expression softened. "I know. I just couldn't get over it myself."

As much as she hated to think about it, this might be one of the last chances they had to talk. There was no saying what would happen during and after the transformation. Janet turned Sam around to face her, and wrapped her in a warm hug.

"We're all here for you," Janet said, "and hoping for the best."

*

Teal'c stood beside Major Carter. O'Neill, Daniel, Doctor Fraiser, and her father were all waiting by the hub. Everyone wished to be there with her on the other side, when she came through. It was there that the success or failure of this endeavor would be measured.

But she had to get there first.

He could only imagine what was going through both Major Carter's and Alahn's minds at that moment. Fear for certain, though both were equally determined. Teal'c knew that the moment was tense. Only he followed her to the statue. It was all well and good to have people waiting on the other end, Doctor Fraiser most of all, but he knew that they could use a companion at this stage as well. If rolls were reversed he knew he would appreciate the gesture.

It only seemed fitting that he be here for the end as he was for the beginning.

The two stood in the large antechamber, everyone else having left to their appointed places. Major Carter stood close beside Teal'c, her arm brushing against his.

"Thank you." She said softly. In the silence that surrounded them it was more than enough to be heard.

"You are most welcome." Teal'c himself had volunteered to accompany her. Doing so just felt right. It was an act no one should have to do by themselves. And the way things had happened to get to this point, Teal'c knew he had to be here. Someone had to see the event through.

After a few minutes they still hadn't made any progress to their destination. Their apprehension was mounting, Teal'c masking his own doubts. His friend could suffer terrible consequences from this action, but it was a risk that she wished to take. He knew that Major Carter's mental wellbeing would be greatly improved if she were to return to being human. The opposite would occur if she didn't make the attempt.

So, he supported her, placing a hand against the small of her back.

"I guess it's time to get going." Major Carter said, this time her voice was stronger, confidence clear in its tone.

"Indeed."

*

This was it. In just a few moments Sam would be herself again, or not. Likely if the transformation failed for whatever reason, she'd be dead, or wish that she was. Despite all the risks, and all the monumental chances for failure there were, she was excited. She had been waiting far too long for this moment.

It hadn't been until Teal'c volunteered to come with her that Sam realized how nervous she and Alahn were about the whole thing. No matter how much they accepted what was to come, it didn't change the fact that it all could go so horribly wrong. They were both infinitely grateful for his offer, neither of them had put much thought into it.

//Hard to believe it's finally going to happen.// Alahn gave voice to both of their feelings.

Sam didn't have to reply.

The statue didn't seem nearly as threatening with Teal'c's large presence right beside her. Nor did the whole situation. Her friends, even her father, supported her decision. It was a risk that Sam absolutely had to take. To turn away the only realistic chance she had of returning to normal was unthinkable. Yet despite all she had gone through to get to this point, Sam knew it would work. Even Alahn had a good feeling about it.

But she still wondered 'what if?'

The giddiness made it difficult to walk. Sam didn't know exactly how she made it to the ladder, suspecting that Teal'c had played a large part.

**Don't get ahead of yourself.** Sam told herself.

//Kinda hard not to.// Alahn couldn't help her excitement rising as well.

Definitely getting way ahead of themselves. They had yet to go to the second floor, and already Sam was overwhelmed by the very idea of becoming human again. It seemed like such a preposterous idea. While she had never fully accepted the idea of being a symbiote, being human was hard to wrap her mind around as well. A fleeting concept that seemed to be too far away from the present to ever have been real.

//Well, why don't we get a move on, then you can figure it out all over again first hand.// Alahn suggested, bemused.

Alahn was right. Sam gave Teal'c an apologetic look for holding them up, though she knew he didn't mind in the least. Then she applied herself to the ladder, having to force herself to keep a reasonable pace. She had to fight the urge to race up the ladder and run over to the statue. Not that she was going to fool anyone, but it just seemed right to take it slow.

When they did reach the top Sam's mind was going everywhere. It was so hard to think, things kept coming from all directions, all at once. Thoughts of becoming normal, of what she'd have to do right now to get there, and a myriad of others that she couldn't separate and catalog.

"Are you well?" Teal'c asked. The words were enough to bring her back into the moment, something that she desperately needed.

What she really needed was to take it one thing at a time.

"Yeah, fine." She tried to assure him. Then she just tried not to think. A daunting proposition for an astrophysicist. All that existed was crossing the room to the statue. Every other thought that tried to worm its way into her consciousness was quashed. Like Alahn had pointed out, there'd be time for all of that later.

//I'll do it.// Alahn volunteered to take control. Sam drifted back, still trying to keep her thoughts at bay.

"Almost there." Alahn announced offhandedly. Teal'c merely looked at her and nodded. They walked towards the statue sedately, stopping a few feet from it.

**This is the part I could do without.** Sam announced, not for the first time. Neither of them had pleasant memories of being forced to join. At least when Sam had been inside Daniel she didn't have to enter him. She tried not to think about it too much, it was something she'd be grateful to forget.

//Wouldn't hurt my feelings, either. But it isn't so bad.// Alahn replied, trying to convince them both. They both agreed that it was necessary, and that they would go through with it. Liking it, however, was not a requirement. Sam and Alahn would have to put aside their distaste while Sam left her body. Alahn couldn't touch the statue or they'd be in an even worse situation than they were now. Neither of them wanted to dwell on the possible malfunctions that could occur from that action. The machine wasn't designed to deal with two life forms. However, to bypass this step they would have to make drastic alterations to how the machine worked, which Sam and the Xel'nagans had agreed was not wise. With everything they were doing already without proper tests, fixing what wasn't broke could only lead to more possible problems.

"Major Carter," Teal'c interjected, causing them to turn towards him, "I have always taken great pride in fighting by your side on all fields of battle. This one is no different. The difficulties you have faced in this war you have borne well."

Teal'c was one of the most eloquent people she knew, his statement only reaffirming that fact. Sam really didn't know what to say, she was deeply touched by the sentiment. It may even be the last meaningful thing anyone would say to her, the thought bringing tears to the back of her eyes as she was once again in control.

There was only one response she could give. Sam wrapped him in a hug, and he reciprocated without any hesitation. "That means a lot to me."

"It is my hope that we will continue to fight together for many years to come."

Though the words were serious, Sam couldn't help but deflect from herself.

"Wow, Teal'c, who knew you were such a softy?" Sam laughed when Teal'c gave his signature look of puzzlement.

"It was not my intention to provide amusement." He played along. The moment was far less stifling after the brief jest. It was shocking to think that so many people simply didn't know Teal'c and just how adaptive he was. So many people on base saw him as an unfeeling rock that was really useful for bashing bad guys across the face. There was so much more to him than that, all of it apparent just then. Too bad it was difficult for others to see.

The others were probably going to get worried soon. Also, if she thought about it for too long, she might change her mind on the entire plan. That just wasn't acceptable. It wouldn't be very good if they had come all this way through everything just to have her chicken out. Positive thoughts, she reminded herself.

//Whenever you're ready.// Alahn told her.

Sam looked over at Teal'c, her expression telling him that she was ready. He nodded, waiting for her to act.

"Ok." She said to no one in particular, sizing up the statue. She'd have to leave Alahn, Sam didn't dwell on the details of that bit, and then travel forward and touch the statue. With her general unfamiliarity with moving around in her current body, the shorter she had to go the better. A couple feet shouldn't be too hard.

Alahn caught Sam off guard. //See you soon.//

She hadn't really considered it, that they would actually see each other as two separate people. It was pretty exciting, on top of everything else.

**I'd like that. Well, here goes.**

Alahn took control then, and kneeled on the ground. They both agreed it would probably be less complicated that way. Sam offered up an apology for what she was about to do, then proceeded to pull herself free. It was easier than the first time, but by no means any more pleasant. All Sam could really do was try not to think about exactly what she was doing as she started sliding out.

Keeping her eyes closed, a symbiote had poor vision anyway, Sam just focused on moving forward. It wasn't until she was falling to the floor that Sam realized she had completely exited Alahn. The short fall was startling, but didn't do any damage that she could discern. However, it did disorient her, and she wasn't sure if she was still facing the right direction.

So she opened her eyes. There wasn't much to make out in the large room, but by the colors and general shape, she could make out Alahn in front of her. A darker shape behind her revealed itself to be Teal'c. That meant that she had gotten turned around.

Moving was something that Sam had always taken for granted. She never thought that changing direction could be such a difficult feat. The problem was she had spent most of her time not moving, and the one time she had had been straight and short. Turning around was almost more than she could accomplish. Each muscle was trying to accomplish a different end, hindering her actions. Rather than making progress in any direction, she writhed on the floor, by all appearances a fish out of water. It was a pretty accurate comparison, as symbiotes were naturally aquatic.

This particular approach just wasn't going to work. Sam decided that there was no way she would be able to snake her way around on the ground. It just required to much fine control, and she wasn't going to take the time to learn it. Besides, she didn't have to be graceful, she just had to get there. If her movements couldn't emulate a snake, then she'd just have to reference another animal.

Dragging herself along like an inchworm would be infinitely easier, she figured. After a few minutes Sam was able to lift her head off of the ground, and slowly turned in the direction she wanted to go. The statue stood out brilliantly, the rippling colors easily catching her attention. So she set herself down and drug the bottom half of her body in the right direction. It was anything but graceful, and she could only imagine what Teal'c and Alahn saw, however she was making progress. Slowly but surely she approached the statue, mere inches at a time.

All she had to do was stretch out and she'd touch it. Then she'd just have to let the machine do its work and hope all came out well.

After a short prayer to whatever power that be, Sam reached forward.

*

Daniel stood nervously, unable to look away from the hub. The tension in the room was stifling. The seconds passed by so slowly he feared that time had been frozen. Still, he could only stare at the point where, if everything went well, his friend would appear. Any other outcome would just be too much to bear.

It had to work.

Even without looking he could tell everyone else was in a similar predicament as he. They had no idea how long they would have to wait. So they could only stand there and hope for the best. Wait for Sam to reach the statue and start the process. Arguably, the waiting was the worst part. Actually, as Jack would have pointed out if Daniel had mentioned it, it was cliche. And completely inaccurate. The worst would be if this didn't work and one of a million possible fates befell Sam. So many opportunities for disaster lurked.

Rather than dwell on the unpleasant thoughts running through his head, Daniel decided to focus on Fraiser. She distracted herself by preparing for whatever was to come. Janet had brought the essentials with her, most of which he couldn't identify. All the drugs and tools that she had with her were actually a relief to Daniel. Instead of pointing out what could go wrong, he grew more confident that Janet could deal with whatever may happen. If anyone could it would be her.

A Xel'nagan stood in wait to activate the recreation process. It had to be done manually since it was triggered by a host standing under the hub. The machine had been loaded with the base elements necessary to construct a human body. They just waited for the eyes to light up. That was the signal that the machine was ready.

Daniel couldn't be sure how much time actually had passed, but finally the eyes lit up. It was then that he realized everyone in the room was holding a collective breath. He watched Xyshokana-Esan nod to the Xel'nagan. Now was the moment of truth. The Xel'nagan activated the machine and there was a flash of light. After all the waiting everything seemed to be happening so fast. It took a moment for Daniel's eyes to adjust, but when they did he saw Sam. She was naked, but he wasn't focused on that.

It was her.

Sam fell to the ground almost instantly. Everyone rushed forward just as quickly. Janet was in the forefront, rolling Sam onto her back. Sam was convulsing wildly. Daniel wasn't sure what to do. Certainly this wasn't good.

"Hold her down." Janet said, and he, Jack, and Jacob were holding down her flailing limbs as gently as possible.

"Sam, can you hear me?" Janet then asked. Sam didn't reply. Daniel didn't know much, but he knew she was breathing way too rapidly. She was going to hyperventilate.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked her.

"I don't know!" her reply made it obvious that she didn't want any more questions until she did know something.

"Sam, can you calm down for me?" Janet's tone was professional, but Daniel could hear the gentle plea in the words.

The flailing wasn't getting any better. Daniel was at a loss, there wasn't anything he could do. There didn't seem to be anything any of them could do. Janet took vitals, and came to a decision. She took out one of her needles and injected Sam with something. As her struggling slowed and eventually ceased, Daniel concluded that it was some sort of tranquilizer.

Immediately Janet was monitoring her breathing and pulse.

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked when Janet looked reasonably satisfied to her condition.

"Shock. Her pulse is still a little thready, and her breathing is elevated, but it's acceptable." She replied.

"So she's ok?" Daniel hoped.

"That we won't know until she wakes up."

*

Muffled conversation filled the air. Too groggy to make out the words, Sam willed it away. She was exhausted, didn't they know that? It felt like she hadn't slept in days, but the murmuring kept tugging at her. Not yet, she didn't want to wake up yet.

"Shut up." Sam groaned. The hoarseness of her own voice only served to jar her further into consciousness. Had she been sick?

"Sam?" The voice was full of concern, but she couldn't immediately identify it. Her mind was in such a jumble.

She slowly opened her eyes, the action taking more concentration than she ever remembered. It was dark and she was... in a tent. Sam's thoughts felt impossibly slow. Dusk, maybe? She could see but the light was muted. A face came into view, offering her a smile. It seemed to take forever for her to put it into context.

"Dad." She cringed at her voice.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. Jacob was barely containing his relief. Sam tried to remember just what had happened to explain his behavior.

"Tired," she admitted, "what happened?"

Sam started looking around the tent, struggling against sore muscles. She saw someone else off to the side. The girl was absolutely beaming. Sam was stunned beyond reaction.

"Hey, Sam." Alahn offered in greeting, shifting closer to the sleeping bag.

Sam closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears that came. They wouldn't be deterred and ran freely down her cheeks. She remembered all of it.

"It worked." Sam's voice cracked, and she couldn't suppress a sob. So this is what tears of joy were like, she thought.

"It worked." Jacob assured her, planting a kiss on her forehead. Sam wiped her eyes with the edge of the sleeping bag, attempting to get hold of the emotions running through her. She had believed it would work, but the reality of it still seemed so surreal.

Jacob got up reluctantly, grasping her shoulder warmly. "I'll go tell the others you're awake."

As Jacob made his way out, Alahn relocated to where he had been sitting. "Thirsty?"

Sam nodded, not trusting her voice. It took a lot of effort and some help from Alahn to get her sitting upright. Her muscles were simply worn out, and moving took every bit of her concentration. She was thankful to notice that someone had taken the time to dress her, noticing the black T-shirt as she partially exited the covers. When she did finally sit up, her head swam for a moment.

Alahn offered her a cup of water that had been waiting nearby. Sam's hands shook with the effort of taking it, and she had to use both hands to keep from spilling. When she was satisfied, she handed the cup back to Alahn.

"So," Alahn began, "here you are."

Sam smiled in response. "Here I am."

The tent flap opened and Janet stepped in, clearly pleased to see Sam awake. "Look who's up."

Sam smiled back at her friend, who leaned down and hugged her gently.

"I'm not going to break." Sam said. Janet sighed to herself and then gripped Sam a bit more firmly.

"Let's see how you're doing." Janet pulled back, getting to business. She took Sam's blood pressure, observed her pupil dilation, and a multitude of other tests. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired mostly. Feels like I've run a marathon." Sam replied.

"Some of that is probably lingering effects of the sedative I gave you. You're vitals are evening out nicely. So far so good."

Sam was glad for the positive news. "How long was I out?"

"Several hours. I only gave you a small dose because I wasn't sure how you were going to react to it. Appears to have done the trick." Janet said.

"I don't have to stay here, do I?" Sam asked. She suddenly had the urge to move around, to get out of the confines of the tent.

Janet looked at her for a moment, and shook her head in resignation. "Just don't overdo it."

That suited her just fine, Sam didn't feel like any heavy labor in the first place. Janet handed her a jacket that was laying nearby. Sam hadn't noticed the goose bumps that had formed on her arms, and gratefully accepted the coat.

It amazed Sam how awkward her body felt. How a few months could almost erase everything she had taken for granted over decades seemed impossible. But she did have to admit that her body had gone through a lot. Expecting everything to go back to normal immediately would just be foolish.

Sam decided not to think too much at once. She'd have plenty of time to come to terms with everything and sort out the experiences she had gone through. For the time being she just wanted to be around everyone, and prove that this was really happening.

Shoving aside her pride, Sam accepted Janet and Alahn's help rising to her feet. At first her knees buckled, feeling like pillars of jello, but the two held her steady until Sam could hold most of her weight. She just stood there for a moment, collecting herself.

"I can handle it from here." Alahn stated. Janet nodded and stepped aside, allowing the two to exit first. Sam walked stiffly, but she didn't think it was going too badly. As they stepped outside a soft breeze wafted through the camp. The wind ruffled her hair slightly and Sam enjoyed the feeling. It was one of the first sensations as herself, and she savored the moment.

"Sam." Daniel greeted warmly. Sam didn't realize she had shut her eyes and opened them to find him right in front of her. She let go of Alahn and wrapped Daniel in a tight hug. He returned it with equal vigor.

"I missed you." Sam admitted. It seemed rather funny to say since technically she hadn't gone anywhere. But she really did feel like she had been missing them all the whole time. Things just hadn't been the same.

"Missed you too." Daniel replied.

Reluctantly she pulled herself away. Teal'c stood nearby, and Sam made her way over.

"I am most pleased to see that you are recovering so quickly." Teal'c bowed his head slightly.

Sam shoved him playfully, receiving a confused expression. "I hope I get more than that." She chided, then pulled him into a hug. Teal'c's confused look changed into amusement as he reciprocated. The moment must have looked very sappy to any outside observers, but she didn't mind one bit. After how long it had taken to get here, and all that had happened, a little sap seemed fitting.

Colonel O'Neill was poking at the fire absently, looking rather uncomfortable. Not entirely sure what to do, she sat down on the fallen log they were using for a bench, glad to get off her feet. He crouched on the other side of the flames, engrossed in their wavering dance. The darkness continued to descend and Sam just watched as he didn't look at her. What was going through his head, she couldn't quite figure out.

His obvious discomfort left Sam feeling awkward herself. She wasn't sure whether she should do anything, initiate some sort of conversation, or wait for him to say his piece. After quite some time, Sam sighed in resignation. Janet insisted that she get some sleep, and Sam wasn't really in the mood to argue with her.

She stood up, feeling stronger than she had earlier. A hand on her shoulder stopped her for a moment, and then Sam turned around to face the Colonel.

"Carter," he paused, looking down for a moment before continuing, "it's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back, sir." Sam reciprocated his smiled.

*

Sleep was elusive. Rolling over again, Alahn shut her eyes tight and willed herself to fall asleep. After a few moments, she angrily rolled over on her other side. Of all the things, she never really expected this.

The silence inside her own skull kept her up.

Not that she had been so naive as to think that she wouldn't miss Sam's presence, but she hadn't figured it would affect her sleep. Her sore throat was far less annoying than the missing comments to stray thoughts. Another mind merged with her own had gone from being terrifying and foreign, to a reassuring experience. It left her feeling... empty.

Alahn looked over at Sam, who was staring at the tent's ceiling. So she wasn't the only one who was taking some time to adjust. Janet looked sound asleep, Alahn was happy at least one of them could get some rest.

"Funny how loud silence can be." Alahn commented.

"Wondered when you'd finally give up." Sam wasn't startled in the least. Alahn thought she would be absorbed in her thoughts, but apparently not.

"Well I really am tired. I just can't do anything about it."

"Yeah." Sam agreed. "How's the throat?"

Alahn was glad that her voice wasn't laced with guilt. She didn't want Sam obsessing over something they had both agreed to. "It's not that bad, really."

"Good to hear." Sam rolled over to face Alahn. Her movements were more easy and sure than they had been earlier. It seemed Sam's brain was remembering how to be herself.

"So, it's over now." Alahn broke the silence that descended.

"I guess it is."

It occurred to Alahn that her people probably still didn't know that Terak was dead. He had such a small following of servants that he probably had left none behind. Her people didn't have anywhere to run, so Terak wouldn't have a need to leave anyone behind to watch them. They would just assume that he'd return. He always did. This time, however, he wouldn't. But then what?

"What are you thinking?" Sam asked.

"Wondering what will happen to my people now."

Sam was silent for a minute, pondering the situation. "We'll figure something out. Don't worry, we're not just going to forget about them."

"I know." Alahn replied. She knew Sam wasn't lying to her. But nothing could be done about it right then. When they got back it would be dealt with. Freedom was just something she had never dreamt possible before this.

"I'm sure they're all going to be pleasantly surprised."

That, or they'd all die of shock the moment she entered the village. No one ever came back from Terak's. She chuckled at the thought. "Yeah, I guess they will."

"So, what will you do?" Sam asked seriously.

"I belong with them. With Terak gone, things will be... different."

Sam nodded. "Well I can't think of a better person to help out."

Alahn blushed at the blatant compliment. It was odd, before she would be terrified of taking on responsibility like this. But now, she knew she had to do it... and that was ok.

*

The trip back to the gate was leisurely. Janet didn't want Sam to exert herself too much, and Jack found that he didn't mind the slow pace. Besides, trees weren't so bad when there was a pressing afternoon sun to consider.

When they exited the wormhole Hammond was waiting by the ramp. He smiled as everyone stepped through.

"Welcome back," Hammond could barely contain his smile.

"Mission accomplished, General," Jack declared cheerfully.

"I can see that, Colonel."

"I believe, General, that cake is in order?"

The General only shook his head at Jack's antics, receiving a hurt expression in return.

*

Alahn entered the village with SG-1 trailing behind her. She watched as everyone stopped what they were doing and whispered in hushed tones. It wasn't surprising, she knew that they had all resigned themselves to never seeing her again.

Lental, Feila, Dibu... they were all there. She felt her eyes begin to glisten. As much as she had thought about this moment in recent days, nothing prepared her for actually experiencing it.

"Alahn?" An elderly figure approached from the side, looking at her as if she were a phantom.

A smile plastered her face, "Grandmother!"

The old woman grasped her in a tight embrace, touching her all over. It was too much to chance that this were real. "By Terak's mercy, you are alive."

"Terak is dead," Alahn stated, realizing it was a phrase she would have to invoke many times.

"Hush your tones, child!" fear crept on her grandmother's features.

"No, grandmother, it is true. These ones helped kill him. We are free now. Our people, our crops, are our own."

Alahn watched as she looked on in disbelief, before acceptance began to dawn on her face. "Please, forgive my rudeness. Come inside."

She offered them all fruit from a bowl on the table. Not wanting to offend, they each took a piece. The fruit was good, green like an apple but sweeter.

"I should have thanked you earlier for returning my granddaughter."

Sam replied, "It's our pleasure."

"And if what she said is true, I must also thank you on behalf of our people."

"Just another day at the office," Jack responded. The woman only looked at him curiously before ignoring his antics.

"We also came her to talk to your people about other related matters," Daniel said after some silence.

"What else can there be?"

"Before your people were brought here, other... life forms lived on this planet."

"Yes, the brutes. This is nothing new. Terak claimed that they had challenged his rule and that he would protect us from them. But we have never seen them."

Alahn watched the proceedings keenly, having taken up a chair beside Sam.

"Well, they do exist, though they fled this planet long ago. And it is their desire to return here."

"This cannot be good for us?"

Daniel shook his head, "We told them of your presence here, and according to Alahn you have nowhere else to go. They proposed a cohabitation."

She cocked her head "How so?"

"According to them you may keep the land that you've settled on, and they can recreate their own cities. They also proposed that trading and perhaps more wouldn't be out of the question."

She sat down, taking each of them in slowly. "Well, if they can truly be trusted, then this seems an equitable arrangement. With Terak controlling us, our town has no real leaders to speak of. But I'll get everyone together and we may consider this."

She left to gather the rest, and Sam turned to Alahn. "It'll be ok."

"I know," she replied.

"If your people don't want to stay here, there are many places that you'd be welcome."

Alahn shook her head. "I'm not really worried about that stuff so much. I know that this will work out one way or another. It's just that there's so much change now. No more demons to rule over us, everything will be different now."

"Change isn't always bad," Sam said, fully aware of the irony.

"But it is a lot." Alahn paused for a moment, "You'll visit?"

Sam laughed, "Of course!"

"Good, because I would never forgive you if you didn't," Alahn pushed her playfully.

"Well then," Sam winked, "we can't have that, now can we?"

It was Alahn's turn to laugh.

*

Sam jogged through the park, luxuriating as the morning sun bathed her in its light. She enjoyed these simple things a lot more now, grateful to feel things once again that were purely her own.

The sun, the wind, the lay of clothing against her body - all these she appreciated in a way she'd have never believed possible.

She watched as a black lab rushed at a ball that had been thrown in her direction. The yellow tennis ball landed ahead of her, and the dog skidded to a halt as it grabbed it in its mouth. It looked up at her and began to follow her, lifting its head as if it wanted Sam to share in its pleasure of having retrieved its toy.

Sam chuckled at the dog, its tail wagging contentedly.

"Milo!" A man called, and the dog cocked his head. It stopped, but then looked back at Sam. "Milo come!"

At that the dog trotted back to its owner, and Sam waved at the man.

Nearing the return loop, Sam's mind began to wander. SG-1 still had a few more days leave before they had to be back on the mountain, and she was determined to enjoy every second of it.

With that, she began planning a day out with Janet and Cassie.

*

Xyshokana-Esan pocketed the crystal within his robe. Daniel's words when they had spoken alone in his chamber consumed his mind.

There were survivors.

The mere thought was almost enough to bring him to his knees. He only wished that he could tell the others of this new development. But it was too soon. Too much was changing, and things would be problematic enough without this information. Traditions died hard. The warriors especially would have difficulty with the times ahead. The last thing he wanted was the leaf that toppled the ginnal. While he was overwhelmed with joy that some had lived regardless of how they had accomplished it, others would not be so understanding.

However, their prejudice wasn't going to stop him from seeing himself.

He approached the Transportation Circle, entering the address as the guards acknowledged him. With one hand he returned the gesture, but was wholly oblivious to their being. He stepped through quickly.

On the other side the planet was dark. Xyshokana-Esan walked down the path that he had not even seen in far too long. Even so the way was clear to him. Wasting no time, he made his way to the ruins.

Xel'nagans laid about the rubble. Most were asleep, but a few poked lazily at fires that scattered the long broken streets. Just from their movements he could see the damage, they simply didn't look right. It was like watching a herd of wild creatures.

One stood up and approached him. Xyshokana-Esan stood still and watched him come forward. He squinted his eyes in the dimness, trying to make out the one before him. The damaged Xel'nagan stopped a mere pace away, looking just as hard at Xyshokana-Esan as he did at the other. An arm reached up and touched his chest through the robes.

"Ea... Ie... Eesun," his mouth worked feverishly to form the word. He began to beat his chest as Xel'nagans did when overwhelmed by emotion. Xyshokana-Esan could only watch.

"Eesun! Eesun!" he kept chanting the name, growing louder each time. The commotion brought the attention of the rest, who approached and watched the spectacle. The creature kept repeating his name, or at least the small part he seemed to be able to deal with, and knelt down on both knees. He grabbed Xyshokana-Esan's robe, bringing the hem to his downcast eyes.

With all four hands, Xyshokana-Esan grabbed the creature's shoulders, watching as the others took up the chant. It was sadly clear that many didn't understand it, and merely mimicked the others. Daniel had explained that they had been damaged, but he couldn't have imagined the extent.

"My eyes deceive me," A voice came from behind, causing Xyshokana-Esan to turn.

"Shesh," he spoke acknowledging the symbiotic tones.

"Though I never dared dream the day, I should have known nothing would keep you away, Xyshokana."

With one hand he grabbed Coumat-Shesh for support, his other hands clenching tightly as fought to keep upright.

"I should never underestimate your knack for survival... brother."

END


End file.
